The Remains of Their Love
by FictionAuthorInTraining
Summary: AU.Set after the season 3 finale.Ryan and Marissa are dead but their spirits are inhabitating the minds of another couple that goes to Harbor.Rated M.Cameos of other characters throughout.
1. Chapter 1

Prolouge

In the deep darkness of the night one of two things can occur. Either a person's mind slows and falls into a calm surrender or it accelerates and jumps in and out of itself in hyper drive. Most of the world's population experiences the calm, or at least they believe they do. They think that way because they can't recall anything of significance from their dreams or their calm time during sleep.

In truth, buried within the confines of a cluttered mind is a wealth of secrets pertaining to subconscious understanding of things the person is fully unaware of when awake. These secrets can be as unclear or as perfectly mapped out as possible, and often are of the first calabere. But what happens when the secrets hidden in a person's mind are so profoundly massive that they encompass an entire lifetime or more?

Then things start to get very very interesting. Especially when the secrets are unveiled.

Chapter 1

Early morning's gentle breeze made its way into an open window creating a swoosh sound as it touched the blue and green tinted glass and bead strands that completed the owner's room décor. Light softly reflected off the tiny pieces of glass onto the nearby bed and its occupant causing the figure to flip over in slumber taking the heavy royal blue comforter with it.

"Mnnn…" A rather unhappy moan came from the heap under the comforter and then a dragging sigh as a teenage girl popped her head out of the covers and glanced at the window with squinted eyes. "It's to early…" Charet grudgingly threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward to snatch her watch off of the top of a marble pedistal with a sheer blue fabric drapped over it. "Uh oh… late.." The girl moved across the room for the adjacent bathroom, stripping out of her sleep wear on the way.

The sound of running water echoed off the forest green walls as her shower began to work on her senses and wake her up. What was today again? Tuesday? She massaged shampoo into her shoulder length brown hair and tried to remember her dream.

This one had been real intense with a plot right out a typical teen movie but with more grit and emotion than could be found on celluloid. And that boy. She had heard of manifesting oneself or friends and family into your dreams but somehow it didn't fit. That boy may have looked like a few of her friends and had similar mannerisms but it wasn't any of them. She felt that with more certainty than she had ever felt anything before.

And the location. It seemed so familiar. That street. Those beautiful houses like miniature mansions. And that non-descript poolhouse. Just seeing the lay of that place had generated a kickstart to her dream self's hormones. She remembered that feeling more than anything because she knew it well. It was an intense need for gratification of a certain sort.

Charet stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself leaving her thoughts for another time. She had school in half an hour. Another late mark meant dentention and that was one thing she really did not need today. "Where's that other boot?" Great. Of all the things she could have misplaced this morning it had to be her other shoe. Wonderful.

A flicker of black caught her eye across the room and she wrenched open her closet door. "There you are!" Charet nabbed the boot like a releived parent who had just found its wayward child and pulled it on. She took her ankle length black skirt off the hanger and slipped it up over her hips, then riffled through her tops for a suitable choice. After a minute, she settled on a dark green tank top with wide straps and a scooping neckline. "Perfectly workable as always." She tugged a black leather, over the shoulder bag onto her arm and headed out, grabbing her black book bag on the way down the stairs and out the front door.

The boy from the dream popped back into her mind as she drove her old jeep to school. She shook her head to clear the image so she could focus. Where was this turnoff again? To the left? She flicked her blinker on and made her turn into what looked like a huge beige mansion. "This is school? Wow…"

Charet exited her car and surveyed the area with wide blue-green eyes. The place was huge. There was a courtyard like area and a big parking lot and a large stone stairway leading up to the school. She read the marquee and sighed. "Welcome to Harbor. Yeah, I feel real welcome." She cast a glance upward and trudged up the stairway.

"Hey! You in the way out of season outfit!" With a glance to her right, Charet saw a sprightly blond with bouncing curls and a bright smile coming toward her. "Yeah, You."

"Can I help you?"

The girl looked her over and sighed dramatically. "It's you who needs the help. I'm Sara. And you need some serious fashion coaching." She grabbed Charet's arm and began dragging her toward a door marked Women. "Ok. First, do you own make up?"

Charet blinked. "Excuse me?"

Sara smiled as she pulled her own see-through make up bag out of her D&B purse. "Unless you want to get absolutely humiliated by the label wearers, You need some."

"Will it get me through the day without being bothered if I consent to powder and eye-shadow?" Charet looked at herself in the mirror as she spoke. Maybe a little make up would be a good idea. Hide some of those red spots at least.

Sara nodded. "Totally. You come from anywhere special?"

"Well, actually. I'm a transfer from Newport Union. Some stuff happened and my parents decided to ship me and my perfect academic record elsewhere." Charet stole a sideways glance back to Sara. "We just bought this beautiful house over the summer. Actually, we got lucky. It was the Model Home for our neighborhood. Should have been a lot more than we paid for it."

Sara tilted her hand up to Charet's eye and proceeded to apply a blue eye shadow lightly. "I think I know why. You bought the catastrophe mcmansion."

"The what?"

"It's the nickname for that house. See, back in 03 it was burnt down, then it was rebuilt and around 05 or 06 a girl almost broke her neck when she went to visit her bf there and fell down the stairway. And then, in late 06.." Sara stopped and cast her eyes to Charet's. "In late 06 a boy blew his brains out in the upstairs bedroom on the left."

Charet felt her heart jump. That was her bedroom! She sucked in her breath. "Why'd he do it there?"

Sara clicked her tongue, moved her hand to the other eye and bit her lip in thought. "Oh! That's right. He was the kid who originally burnt the house down and it was his ex who almost broke her neck. The place was special to the couple or something. Anyway, a day or two after the 06 graduation, the boy and girl got run off the road and the girl died. It messed the boy up really bad and after a few months of well..dealing..he gave up and pulled the trigger."

Charet surveyed her made up self in the mirror. "No wonder we got the place so cheap."

"Yep. Nobody expected it would ever sell because of its history. Anyways, welcome to Harbor…um.."

Sara's pause made Charet realize that the girl still hadn't learned her name. "Sorry. Charet."

Sara nodded and shook Charet's hand. "Welcome to Harbor, Charet. And if you're really that curious about your house, ask Caitlyn Cooper. She was the girl's sister."

"Why do I get the feeling she isn't of the friendly sort?" Charet sighed and walked out with her new, self-appointed friend and make up specialist, Sara in pursuit.

"Well, she can be a little mean."

"Joy. Maybe I'm not so curious." Charet pulled a crumpled white sheet of paper out of her book bag and read it. "Smithers, Room A125." She looked around at the numbers above the doors.

Sara laughed. "Well, Charet, I'm right next door to that one. And as for Caitlyn, don't freak. I'm in with her crowd." She tugged on Charet's shirt and headed down the hall with her.

As the walked, Charet observed her new surroundings with wonder and worry. There were girls in the latest fashions and boys hanging around them like secret service men or something. High School Royalty. Great. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and continued looking. They passed by some sort of lounge complete with coffee cart and couches and she couldn't help but gasp. Had she walked into an alternate universe or something?

Suddenly, there was a strange tingle going through her and she saw the boy from her dream again. He was standing there staring right at her with those swoon worthy blue eyes. She closed her own eyes quickly to evaportae the image and then reopened them. He was gone this time. But the tingle was still there. And something else.

Charet couldn't mistake the feeling if she wanted to. It was the same with those locations from her dream. This place was familiar. In fact, she was ninety-nine percent positive that she could navigate this entire school without a map. The reason was the thing she had a hard time believing. She knew it though. There was no possibility and yet no mistake; she'd been here before.

"Charet!" She glanced up into Sara's bewildered expression.

"Hmm?"

Sara laughed and shook her head. "Daydreaming already. You aren't supposed to do that until you're actually in class."

"Sorry.," She looked around the classroom and again felt like she had been here. "I want the one by the window. Sit with me?" Charet didn't wait for a response, she just walked over to the table she had designated and set her book bag on the top.

She and Sara were the only ones in the room so far and judging from the weird posters all over the wall this was a history course. Excellent. History was her ace in the hole. She sat down at the table and retreated to her thoughts when Sara didn't join her.

This was just too weird now. First the dream, then actually projecting his image inside the school. And the story of her house. That was a hard pill to swallow. A depressed boy had commited a very messy suicide in her own room just a few years ago. And of course that sudden tingling feeling and positive familiarity with this place and the places from her dream. Was she losing her mind? With a year like hers, it was possible.

For the first time in so many weeks, she let her mind drift to that night. She could see it all clearer than she wanted to. The fight, the fall, the stark white sheet they covered him with. She could feel her eyes getting teary as the memory took shape in her mind.

It was dark and windy up on the bluff. James had his hand around her waist as they sat together star gazing. Then everything changed. They heard the shots and dropped to the ground, him covering her with his body. The gunman had come out into the open and saw them, realizing he'd been caught in the act. James had wrestled with the other boy when he'd lunged toward her. They wrestled, rolling right over the bluff and hitting the ground below with a bone cracking thwack. She'd crawled over the edge and peered down. James hadn't made it. And there was so much blood.

A gruff male voice shook Charet from her thoughts. "Read Chapters 1,2, and 3 for tomorrow." Uh oh. She had completely spaced during her first class. This was not the way to make the teacher like her.

The bell rang signaling time for departure and she walked over to the teacher. He looked up in surprise and greeted her with a quizzical expression. "I see you came back to Earth, Ms. Connors."

"I'm sorry, sir. There was no excuse.." The man held up a hand to halt her speech and she obliged.

"I'm willing to overlook it this once. I understand that getting back into the swing of things may be hard after your tragedy." He waved her off and she left the classroom in a fog.

What was next anyway? And what had happened to Sara? She glanced up and down the hall quickly scanning for her but there was no sign. Oh well. She felt her feet take a mind of their own as they lead her to her next class without a single look at the map. That feeling of familiarity was still there and it was getting stronger.

As she drifted into her next classroom, she spotted a pretty redish-brown haired girl in a plaid skirt and a rather revealing white top sitting at the table by the window. She was surrounded by a laughing group of similarly dressed girls who were avidly listening as she spoke. Charet stopped cold. She knew she'd heard it. And it had come from her own mind. One word. Sister.

Just then, the group of girls waved her over. "Charet!" It was then that she noticed Sara sitting with her back to the door. So that meant one thing. This was Caitlyn and her posse. Great. A regular Danial in the lion's den moment. She hustled over and took a seat across from the redish-brown haird girl. "Hey.." Her voice was small even to her own ears.

The girl acknowledged her with a minimal nod. "Caitlyn Cooper." Then proceeded to introduce the rest of the girls. "Mary Davis. Ginger-Anne Pierce. Carmon Smalls. And Sara Wright. You know her already." She smiled a fake smile.

Charet nodded to each girl and smiled back. "So you're Caitlyn? When the time is better, let's talk a minute?"

Caitlyn nodded and then everyone turned their attention to the front of the room. The teacher had walked in. Charet took one look at the foreign woman in front of her and froze. Another thought pushed itself into her thoughts. Dr. Kim. She's a principal not a teacher? She ignored the unwelcome comment and listened.

The woman clasped her hands together in front of her and looked out at the faces of the students. "Welcome to PreCal. Your teacher, Mr. Franklin couldn't be here in time today so he asked me to fill in for a while. I'm sure you all know me, but in case there are any new faces, I'm Dr.Kim, your princpal."

That did it. Whoever was in her head had her full attention now. Charet was officially unnerved and annoyed. Who are you? She screamed inside her mind. There was no response.

She gave up and focused on the lesson. If the intruder was giving her the silent treatment then fine. She needed to focus on her studies anyway.

An hour and some odd minutes later, the bell rang and suddenly everyone was gone. Charet blinked and got to her feet. That feeling was back again.

Ty Harris shook his head as that stupid feeling came back for the fourth time today. What was this? Ever since last night, he'd had this weird sensation of some sort. It was that dream. He knew it. And the girl in the dream. Wow. He ran a hand through his blond hair and sighed. A week of these dreams and he still didn't know what was going on in his head.

He shut his locker and turned to head down the hall, knocking directly into a dazed, but beautiful girl about his age with brown hair and blue eyes. "Oh..hey..sorry.." He lifted her back to her feet and smiled.

She studied him carefully and then fainted.

Ty kneeled down and lightly patted the girl's cheeks in an effort to wake her. "Hey..come on..wake up.." He looked up as the hall became deserted. Now what? She didn't look like she weighed much, maybe he could carry her to the nurse's office. He slid an arm under the back of her knees and the other across her back just where her bra would sit. Carefully, he got to his feet and walked with her weightless in his arms.

There was that tingle again. Then it was if he was back in his dream. He carried another girl across the backyard and into a poolhouse, where he laid her on the bed and covered her with a black sheet. Suddenly, there it was again. That weird sensation of someone else being in his head. The sentence came out clear as a bell. This always felt so right, having her in my arms. That was the second time today. Who are you? He questioned the other entity in his mind as he continued toward the nurse's office. There was no response. Just the overwhelming feeling of familiarity with this girl. He looked down at her and absolutely believed love at first sight. But he was aware this wasn't just his own views.

Ty kicked the bottom of the closed door to get the nurse to open it. He cast his eyes over the girl in his arms and smiled. This really did feel right.

The door opened and a portly woman in her late forties smiled at him. "What happened?"

He shrugged and stepped into the clinic room. "I knocked into her and helped her to her feet and she just fainted."

The nurse hmmed and ohhed a few minutes as she examined the unconscious girl and then turned back to him. "She should go home. I have her address. Would you mind carrying her home, Ty?"

Ty thought about it a minute and then agreed. "Yeah." He looked back at the girl and then away. "What's her name?"

The nurse laughed. "Charet. It says….oh…so it was her family." She caught Ty's eyes and finished the thought. "She lives in the model home."

He fell back in shock. No way! They had sold it! After all that tragedy there? Her parents must not be aware. "Oh.." He picked her up once more and headed out to the parking lot with his and her early dismissal forms.

Ty buckled her into the passanger seat of his Range Rover and backed out. He had to think a minute to clear his head. He'd never seen it on the inside, and yet he saw it mapped out in his head like he lived there. When in fact, he lived next door.

He reached the house and searched her purse for the key. There wasn't one. Ok. Now what? He backed out of her driveway and parked in his own. He'd just take her to his place then. Ty picked her up in the same gentle manner and carried her into the backyard. Now this was very familiar. This was what he'd dreamed. Except he'd been carrying a different girl. He crossed the pool area and opened the poolhouse door. At this point, his feet were leading him all on their own. He laid her down and pulled his sheets up to her chest, his hands grazing it and his face a breadth away from her own. An electrical charge went through his body and he collapsed on the nearby sofa.

What was that! He'd heard of having sparks before but that was like an instant match light. He felt like his entire body had burst into flames at the most innocent of touches. Weird. Ty sat up on the sofa and rested clasped hands on his knees. He had to figure this out before he went bonkers. He looked over the still unconscious girl on his bed and sighed, she didn't look like she'd be awake any time soon.

Ty yawned, surprised to find he was tired so early in the day, and stretched out on the sofa for a nap. Maybe he'd dream about that girl again.

Charet's eyes fluttered open and focused on a white ceiling with a bamboo like fan that she definetly did not recognize. She leaned up onto her elbows and watched as the gray sheets fell off her upper body. Those were not her sheets. Where was she? Her confusion mounted as she looked around.

It was the poolhouse from her dream! She stood up and cast nervous glances all around. That feeling of familiarity was heightened to a buzzing in her body. Charet spotted the boy from school laying on a sofa lost in sleep and was struck by the overwhelming need to touch him. On their own, her feet moved across the wooden floor and stopped in front of the sofa. Ignoring her mental protests, her hand reached out and traced the frame of the boy's face with a barely there touch. RYAN. The voice in her head echoed the name over and over in an amazed tone.

She pulled her hand away and felt her knees buckle. Something was unwilling to let her leave this boy's side. She sighed and sat there watching him sleep. Just so you know, she addressed the person in her head, I feel like I'm stalking this guy. Again there was no response. Feeling less attached, she tried to move away again and nearly collapsed from the minimal effort. There was no way she was going anywhere her body told her as its functions shut down. In defeat, she slumped down to the floor half curled into the fetal position but with one arm up near her face and the other laying across her stomach.

"Mnnn….." Ty opened his eyes and took a minute to register where he was. The poolhouse. He shifted to a sitting position and suddenly a shot of terror went through him. The girl was laying on the floor without breath! He kneeled down and started to check her pulse when his world changed.

Now he was kneeling over the girl from his dreams in a dark alley. He moved her hair from her face and patted her cheek begging her to open her eyes. Then he picked her up and carried her out of the alley with a feeling of dread coursing through his body.

A quick blink and he was back in his poolhouse looking down to the girl from school as she laid in the same position as the girl from the vision. Without a thought, he picked her up in his arms and laid her down on his bed again. As he gazed at her sleeping form, he had the overwhelming urge to kiss her.

Are you crazy! He shouted to his mind even as he leaned over. No. You can't do that! She'll wake up and freak out! He kept shouting but the feeling was pulling his body all on its own. He had no say, and truth be told he really didn't mind kissing this girl. He just would have rather had her awake. Softly, his lips touched hers and one word echoed in his mind like a ricocheting bullet. MARISSA. The sound was breathy and passionate.

Ty immediately pulled back, his palm coming into contact with the girl's arm. There was that electrical charge again! He sucked in his breath and put a hand to his head.

"Who're you?" The girl was staring back at him as she laid on the bed.

He started to respond when a thought was thrust into his mind. WHO EVER YOU WANT ME TO BE. And then, he was saying it outloud. "Whoever you want me to be."

Charet stared up at this boy and smiled. "Ok.." She sat up and tried not to focus on how much this boy looked like the one from her dreams. "Charet." She extended her hand.

He smiled and kissed it. "Ty." Another electrical charge went throught him and he released her hand. Obviously, if he wanted to keep his senses he couldn't touch her.

She looked around and then caught his eyes. "You're gonna think I'm crazy but I feel like I know you, know this place."

Ty couldn't have been more surprised if she had just confessed to murder. She was having the same weird feelings! "I definetly don't think you're crazy.." He put a hand to her cheek and smiled. "because I feel it too." Again that word echoed in his mind. MARISSA. MARISSA.MARISSA.

Charet held her breath as that name repeated itself again. RYAN.RYAN.RYAN. She studied him a minute and then gathered courage. She opened her mouth to speak, catching his gaze as he did the same.

"Ryan?"

"Marissa?"

The names came at the same time and they were left staring at each other in confusion as a long silence insued. Finally speech came back to them and Ty was the first to question.

"Who's Ryan?"

Charet shrugged and softened her voice. "I don't know, and yet I do. He's you." She tilted her head at him. "Who's Marissa?"

Ty gave a little shake of his head. "Don't know. But then, it's the same as with your Ryan guy. I feel like you're Marissa."

"Joy. We're both crazy." She laughed.

"Sounds like it." He smiled at her.

Charet cruled her legs under her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "So how'd I get here?"

"Carried you."

"Hope you didn't throw out your back."

He shook his head. "You were weightless."

She laughed. "Not likely.."

"Felt like it." Ty took her hand again and brought it to eye level. "This may seem like a weird question, but how does it feel when we touch?"

Charet could only think of one word. RIGHT. So she said it. "Right."

He nodded in complete understanding. "For me too."

That electric feeling came again and this time he let it lead him into another kiss. A soft, sweet, kiss. A first kiss that felt like a hundredth. Like he had kissed her many times before. But he hadn't. Ever.

She could feel her entire body melt into the kiss. Her stomach was doing flips and her mind was all over the place, but it was all too familiar. As if she had been kissing this boy for years. But she hadn't.

Ty pulled back from the kiss and looked at her. "Wow…"

Charet smiled. "Back at ya." She could feel her cheeks coloring and kind of turned her head. "So..Ty, um..my turn to ask weird questions."

He looked at her cautiously, afraid she would ask if he was having hormonal issues or something, which he sort of was considering an unknown entity was in his head and shouting at him to touch her again."Yeah?"

"Have you been dreaming about me?" She let the question hang in the air.

Ty thought about it before responding. Had he been dreaming about her? It had looked like her for sure. And that weird feeling of familiarity radiated when she was around the same as with the dream girl. "I think…I have..only you don't look like you."

Charet pursed her lips in bewilderment. "Explain."

He looked around the room a minute and then shook his head. "I don't think I can."

"It's ok." She rested a hand on top of his knee. "I think this is all to confusing to deal with as strangers."

Ty listened as he mentally did everything he could to focus on her voice and not something more pervish. In his mind, he was busy helping her out of her shirt, his body on hers and propping himself up with his arms. And then he saw her face. It wasn't Charet; it was the dream girl. Marissa. "Marissa…" It just came out before he could stop it, and then every little bit of control he had disappeared. He leaned forward and kissed her again, this time it was forceful and aggressively passionate, as he put an arm behind her back and lowered her to the bed. He covered her throat with hot, breathy kisses and moved his hands under her shirt. What was he doing? His hands and lips were working in ways he had never used them before, and yet it felt as though he had.

Charet could feel her heart pounding as his lips touched her throat and his hands moved up her body like hungry animals. She closed her eyes and tried to relax into his touch.Ryan. The word appeared in big bold letters across her mind and she let it go. "Ryan…" It came out raspy and unsure as he moved his face to hers.

Ryan stared out of new eyes as he smiled at Marissa. It had been to long. His body was begging him to continue and his mind was screaming for him to stop. Wait. That wasn't his mind. This voice was angry and scared. STOP. WHOEVER YOU ARE, STOP. Reluctantly, he did.

Marissa looked up to Ryan in wait. To have him be with her again. It had been to long, to painfully long. She eased a hand under his shirt and curled a finger around his belt loop. Her body was carrying her on a high wave of passion as she laid there breathing brokenly. And then, like a door slamming in her face, her mind started demanding for her to stop. The frightened and furious words echoed inside her head, NO.NO. STOP. PLEASE STOP. And then she was shoving Ryan off of her and standing up.

Ty fell off the bed and sat there stunned. What the h had just happened? He looked up to a terrified Charet as she cowered by the door, her eyes wet with fresh tears. "Charet..I.." What could he say? Sorry, my alter ego just got loose? No. He walked closer to her and held out his hand in a gesture of peace. "I don't know what that was, but it wasn't me. I'm not like that."

Her mind was spinning as she focused on his face. "I know…" She flicked her eyes to his hand and then stepped closer, taking it. "As crazy as it sounds, I think our minds are being overtaken by the unknown presence in them. For you, it's some guy named Ryan. And for me, this girl called Marissa." Ok. Even to her, she sounded like her bedroom should have nice padded walls.

He nodded. "Does it prove I'm losing it when that actually makes sense? And I think they are or were in love. The way my mind was hollering at me to touch you.." He looked down. "It was like he had to have her in his arms. Like he had waited years. The longing was mindblowing."

She knew exactly what he meant cause she had felt it too. " I think I better go before Ryan and Marissa try to overtake us again. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Ok." Charet patted his shoulder and exited the poolhouse, running across the backyard.

Ty sat on his bed with clecnched fists as he seethed. What is wrong with you! He shouted at the intruder in his mind. I don't mind being your outlet but don't you ever take me over like that again! Charet was scared to death I was going to hurt her! He wasn't expected a response so when one came he had to ask it to be repeated. I DIDN'T MEAN TO SCARE HER. I JUST MISS HER SO MUCH. The answer was given in a whisper tinged with tears. He sighed, ok just explain something to me. Why are you in my head? Again, no answer came. Great, Ty grumbled as he fell back on the bed. He yawned as his eyes became heavy and his mind began to wander to the girl in his dreams. Finally, he fell asleep.

Back at her house, Charet dropped onto her bed and pounded her fists into her pillow. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and her voice was raw from screaming. It was a good thing nobody was home yet. She had rushed home, slammed the door and hollered till her voice died. Her head was pounding now and she felt like strangling this girl in her head. How could you? She silently demanded. HE MAKES ME LOSE MYSELF. Wonderful, she spat wordlessly. I MISS HIM EVERYDAY. Look, she thought hard to make her tone known, I don't have a problem with you borrowing me to reach him, but let me know first. Don't ever put me in that kind of situation again. I almost slept with a guy I'd only known three hours! The response was soft. OK. Without warning, she felt really tired and closed her eyes thinking about the boy in her dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Ty sat on the highway, head bent down to look at the girl in his arms. She was barely breathing at this point as he gently touched her face. "Yeah. yeah. I gotta get help.."_

_Charet felt like her body was cold as stone as she looked up into the face of the boy holding her as he started to show signs of worry for her life. She choked on her tounge a few times before finally saying something "No..no...Ryan. Stay.."_

_Ty nodded his head. "Ok. I won't leave."_

_Charet's eyes were beginning to give out as she stared at the boy, weakly grabbing his arm. "Don't leave."_

_Ty could feel his heart pounding in his chest.She was getting weaker by the second. "Hold on. Ok. Hold on."_

_Charet fought against her coming death for a chance to say one more thing. Something she wanted to and should have said earlier. "I…" And that was all she could get out as her body finally let go._

_Ty felt the lump in his throat and tried to swallow. "You're gonna be ok. You're gonna be ok." He softened his tone as his words became harder to say. "It's gonna be ok. It's gonna be ok." He patted her face again a little harder to wake her but there was no response this time. His eyes grew wide in disbelief and terror. "Marissa? Marissa? MARISSA? No. NO. no. no.. " For the first time in nearly his entire life, he broke down into furious and all encompassing tears as he gathered her into his arms for a hug. _

The sheer volume of the alarm buzzer woke Ty with a jerk. "Wha.." He sat up in confusion and looked around the poolhouse. Ok. Another dream. He put a hand to his face and blinked in surprise. His fingers came away wet. He was crying. What was going on?

Images from the dream flashed into his mind as if in answer to his silent question. The birdseye view of him and the dream girl several feet from a blazing car. Suddenly, things began to click. The girl from his dreams finally had a name. And it was the same name that the person in his head longed for. Marissa.

"Wait a minute.." Something was nagging him, a piece of Charet and his earlier conversation. Of course! His wrist flicked as he slapped the bed in triumph. "Charet is having dreams too. Dreams of you!" Ty lowered his voice a little when he realized he was shouting to someone that nobody else knew existed.

YES. The tone was matter-of-fact and soft. So, he thought, the girl in my dreams must be Marissa and the boy in Charet's is you, Ryan. Again the response was sure and soft. YES. But who are you two? There was a long pause, as if the entity, or Ryan, was trying to put together his words. WE ARE JOINED SOULS. Come again, Ty thought in puzzlement. MARISSA AND I…WE ARE JOINED BY PAIN OF LOVE.. Ok. I'm confused. What do you mean pain of love? Ryan was silent for so long this time, he wondered if there would be an answer. Then it came along with lots of random images.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS. - Marissa and Ryan involved in a deep kiss as confetti showered them-

AND YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT PAIN IS. - Ryan carrying an unconscious and pale Marissa out of an alley-

BUT PAIN OF LOVE, THAT IS SOMETHING RARE AND CRUEL. -Ryan as he cried out in emotional pain as he held Marissa's corpse-

IT EATS AWAY AT YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. - Ryan sitting alone next to a grave stone, a bouqet of roses on the fresh dirt-

BUT THE MEMORY OF THE LOVE YOU SHARED MAKES YOU SO HAPPY, KNOWING YOU GOT THE CHANCE.- Ryan and Marissa making out; Ryan holding Marissa while they dance in the poolhouse-

SLOWLY, YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS.- Ryan patting Marissa's face in desperate attempt to wake her-

THAT YOU HAVEN'T REALLY EXPERIENCED PAIN- Ryan staring with dead eyes rimmed with tears at the coffin as it's lowered into the ground-

UNTIL THE ONE PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU- Ryan and Marissa having a heart-to-heart in the poolhouse-

WHO MAKES YOU SMILE WHEN NO-ONE ELSE CAN- Ryan laughing as he forces Marissa and himself into the pool-

WHO BRIGHTENS YOUR DAY SIMPLY BY BEING THERE- Marissa sitting by herself at a table in a classroom-

WHO'S HAPPINESS MEANS MORE TO YOU THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD- Ryan comforting Marissa-

INCLUDING YOUR OWN- Ryan watching as Marissa kisses another guy-

WHO YOU HAVE PROTECTED FOR YEARS- Ryan threatening someone with a broken bottle; Ryan calmy talking to another guy holding a gun with Marissa beside him crying and pleading for help; Ryan holding back another guy from going after a crying Marissa; Ryan beating up another guy on a stretch of beach behind a raging house party;-

WHO HAS EVEN PROTECTED YOU.- Marissa shooting a guy who is about to smash a telephone over Ryan's head-

DIES IN YOUR ARMS AND YOU CAN DO NOTHING BUT WATCH AS THEIR CHEST STOPS RISING, THEIR EYES CLOSE, AND THEY GO LIMP WITH LIFELESSNESS.- A close-up of Ryan's disheartened face as he realizes Marissa is really gone-

Ty didn't know what to say. Ryan's speech had hit him hard. And the images he'd used along with the words. There were no words for him to say. Ryan was beyond comforting, beyond consoling, beyond everything. Now he understood why Ryan had taken him over. It wasn't physical intimacy he'd craved, no it was something much more. He'd wanted to feel that connection with Marissa again. Ryan had wanted to feel her love him again.

Ty sighed and sat up on his bed thwoing back the covers and standing up to stretch. I get it now. He told Ryan as he headed into the bathroom to shower. But I hope I never experience it. ME TOO. There was so much pain in the two words.

Charet yawned as the light of the morning flickered into her eyes from her glass fragment curtains. She loved those things to death but this was the one major drawback to them. As soon as the Sun started shinning, the glass caught the light and reflected it directly into her eyes. She grumbled and sat up, tossing off her covers. What was the thermostat on, anyway? It was like twenty below in here. She ran her hands over her arms to warm up as she walked into the hall and checked the box. Ok. Seventy degrees. So it wasn't the house, it was her. Wonderful.

She reached into her closet and shakily pulled out a lavander silk tank top with a v-neck and a demin skirt that definetly would not be confused for a mini since it reached the floor. Still freezing, she plucked out her undergarments from a drawer and headed into her bathroom for a shower.

An hour later, Ty sat in the student lounge on a beige couch that looked like leather but was so old it felt like plastic and thought about what Ryan had said to him. Pain of love. The person you live your life for dieing in your arms. Wow. Without warning, an image of Charet popped into his head. She was smiling and sitting on his bed. This was an image from last night. Again, unbidden, an image of Marissa smiling and sitting on Ryan's bed replaced it.

He frowned as the words came again, hard and cold. PAIN OF LOVE. Was Ryan trying to tell him something? Something about Charet? I don't understand, he thought in defeat as he hit the couch cushion with his palm.

Charet stepped out of her car and shut the door with a bang as she noticed the same fashionably dressed girls from yesterday hanging out by the low brick wall in the quad. Great. More boring chatter about hair and nails and the latest clothes. She silently begged that she not be seen as she headed into the school building with cautious steps.

"Charet! Hey!" Sara came striding toward her, blond curls bouncing and bright smile intact.

Joy, she thought as she pasted a smile on her face. "Hey, Sara."

"Come on. Hang with us till class starts." Sara indicated the other girls with a thumb jerk.

She had no choice now she reasoned as she nodded and let Sara lead her along.

Caitlyn Cooper looked up at Charet with an unreadable expression. "Hey.."

"Hey.."

Sara smiled and lead the other girls into a particularly uninteresting conversation about dying her hair black. Amoungst the shreiks and protests, Caitlyn snagged her arm and pulled her away from the group. When there was no one else listening, she spoke up. "Sara said you wanted to know about your house.." Her voice was very soft.

"Um..yeah..but if you don't want to.." Charet couldn't finish the sentence because Caitlyn was holding her perfectly painted black nails over her mouth.

"I don't know everything, but I know a lot. The place was really special to them.." Caitlyn's voice was so soft as she spoke. "Marissa hid Ryan there when he didn't want to get thrown in child services. Then there was the fire. I guess Ryan caused that…"

Charet had stopped listening as soon as she had heard the names. Her head was spinning. Marissa was the girl who Ty asked if she was. The girl who had nearly broken her neck falling down the stairs. The girl who had died in her boyfriend's arms. And that meant..the boyfriend was Ryan. The boy from her dreams. The boy she had asked Ty if he was. The boy commited suicide in her bedroom.

"Charet.." Caitlyn waved her hand in front of the girl's face. "Charet!"

"Uh.." She looked up at the girl knowing she hadn't heard nearly all of what she had just been telling her.

"Did you want to know anything else? Class is in like two minutes.."

Charet shook her head. "No..I got it." And she did. The pieces were coming together now. She and Ty were having dreams of Ryan and Marissa, hearing them in their respective minds. But why? The model home? Was that the missing piece? Was she hearing Marissa because she lived in the model home? If that was the case, wouldn't she be more likely to be hearing Ryan? This was still way to confusing. There was more to it, she just had to figure out what.The ringing of the bell brought her out of her thoughts and she rushed for her first period classroom.

Ty entered his first period class and took his seat at one of the tables, getting out his textbook and homework wordlessly. He doubted he'd be able to concentrate today, or rather concentrate on school. All his energies were still focused on what Ryan had said to him this morning.

Without being aware of it, he spent the next hour mulling over the speech. What did it mean? There had to be something there. An image of Charet had morphed into Marissa. And with that, he still didn't know who she was. Or who Ryan was. Had they lived here? He had no way of knowing since he'd only been here since last year himself.

His parents had originally wanted the model home but the realtor had been adament in telling them no. That's how he had learned the real story. And how he had ended up next door instead. He'd never been able to bring himself to enter the house. Something in his head kept telling him he didn't want to see it. Wait..Something.. Or someone?

Charet boredly read from her science textbook trying to escape the flood of questions that kept sweeping her away from the present. She'd spent all of first and second period trying to figure it out and all she had to show for it was a huge headache and the knowledge that she had no idea what her teachers had lectured.

Hearing the bell, she scooped up her book bag and shuffled out into the hall. Lunch time. Finally. Maybe some food would help her to ignore these nawing questions. She headed into the cafeteria with that hope plus one more. Maybe Ty had the same lunch. She certainly wouldn't mind sitting with him and having a real conversation about something besides hairstyles and clothes.

"Charet!" She smiled as her eyes came to rest on the person calling her name. Ty was heading her way with a pack of chips and a coke.

"Hey.." She nodded a hello and looked over his food choice a little disapprovingly. "That's your lunch?"

Ty laughed. This girl was something else. "Problem?"

Charet shook her head and grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the food line. "I'll show you the right way to eat."

"Lead the way.." He chuckled to himself as he shoved into the line and she handed him a tray. She was probably going to load him up with fruits and stuff. Rabbit food. He rolled his eyes. Yum.

Charet was oblivious to his unanimous behavior as she placed a thing of fries on his tray and then a thing of chile and a fluffy roll. She continued dragging him down the line until they got to the nacho area, where she promptly dumped the chile onto the fries and then smothered the concotion with hot melted cheese.

Ty just stared in extreme surprise. Ok. So she wasn't a salad girl. This was good. "Nice choice. I conceede." He watched her laugh and smiled back. "And I'll pay."

She shook her head. "Nope." Before he could protest, she had slapped a five dollar bill into the lunch lady's hand who sat at the end of line with the cash register.

He walked with her through the cafeteria and out into the quad eating area. "I always eat outside."

"Less crowded?" Her question was right on point.

"Exactly." He set the tray down on a little round marble table and gestured for her to take a seat beside him.

Charet sat down and went right for the fries. "So.. How's today been for you?" She "mmm.." as the flavor danced in her mouth. Chile Cheese Fries. The greatest combination on Earth.

Ty bit into a fry and thought about how to answer her. "Distracting." He just wasn't going to say why.

"I know what you mean." She pulled out another fry and popped it into her mouth.

Her lips are so intoxicating. Ty blinked back the thought but it was too late. He was leaning over and kissing her, his tongue sliding into her mouth and moving around as if in search of a mint.

Charet gave into the kiss sliding her own tongue into his mouth in return. She hoped PDA was tolerated here as she moved closer to him.

He put his hand behind her back and pulled her to him as the kiss intensified. This was amazing. It was like being delirious with fever so bad one thinks they are in Heaven. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and alternated the open mouth kiss for a soft lip suck and then back. And then the mood was broken by one thought. Was this him kissing Charet or was this Ryan kissing Marissa? ALL YOU. He smiled at the response. Good.

She moved a hand down to his waist and then the other hand followed, each resting on the side of his shirt. She pulled away briefly and chuckled as she caught his gaze. "You really get into the French part of the fries, huh?" Then she was kissing him again.

Finally, and only because he was off-handedly noticing a few shocked looks from peers, he pulled away for real. Her comment was so cute it deserved an answer. "It is one of the world's romance languages."

"True.." She smiled at him and ate another fry. "You want to hang out after school?"

"Sure. You a play station girl too?" Please say yes, he thought.

"Do I know what it is? Yes. Do I play? Yes. Do I ever win? No." She shrugged and ate another fry.

"Works for me." He kissed the bridge of her nose. "Did you have another dream last night?"

"Yeah.. A weird one.." She tilted her head and some of her hair fell across her cheek hiding her face from him.

He reached up and tucked the hair behind her ear. "Define weird."

"I was dieing. And that boy was there. He was holding me." She shook her head and popped three very cheesy fries into her mouth.

"Charet, I figured something out this morning." Ty paused deciding exactly what to tell and what to keep unsaid. "The boy you keep dreaming about and the girl I keep seeing are the same people who are in our heads. I just can't figure out why.."

Charet patted his hand. "I learned something as well. Remember the story of my house being involved with a couple.."

His eyes clouded as he realized what she was going to say. "Yeah.."

"Well, I spoke to the girl's sister today. The girl was Marissa. And the boy was Ryan." She watched his face for expression.

"Do you think the model home has anything to do with why they are in our heads?"

"I don't know. It seems possible, but .. I just don't know." She sighed.

The bell signaling the end of lunch and the start of the next class echoed throughout the quad's loudspeakers. They quickly trashed their food and separated with a quick kiss. Ty headed for AP Bio and Charet headed for AP Calculis.

Ty furiously pressed the buttons on his controller as he teased Charet about her lack of skill. "Come on, girl. X is jump. Sqare for run. Do something before you get kill.." The Game Over music came from the tv as the words popped up onto her half of the screen. "Too late." They'd been doing this for the last two hours and she still hadn't been able to get to the next level. He shook his head.

Charet elbowed him in the side and then set the controller back on the floor. "I told you I was bad at this." She sat back against the edge of the couch and slumped her shoulders in frustration.

"Bad doesn't really cover it, Charet. More like awful." He grinned at her.

"Oh.. Really?" She reached behind her for a throw pillow and smacked him with it. "This game I can win."

He snatched another throw off the couch and hit her back, laughing. "So sure?"

She landed a hit upside his jaw that sent him backward. "Definetly!" She shouted triumphantly.

Ty chuckled as his back hit the floor and the pillow dropped from his fingers. She had her pillow bearing down on his chest, her hair falling like a curtain and her face just above his. He grabbed her around the waist and swung his body over so he was laying on her now. He reached for his pillow and knocked her in the face. "Now who's winning?"

Charet brought her pillow up from the floor, over her head and into the side of his face. Then laughed as he fell backward. "Still me." She grinned down at him.

"Well, I still have a lock on Playstation Champion." Ty smiled and grabbed her around the waist pulling her down for a kiss.

Between the kisses, she managed a sentence. "You're cheating."

He laughed and kissed her again. "How so?"

"By distracting me from my goal.." She barely got the last word out before he was pulling her closer and covering her mouth again.

A knock on the poolhouse door surprised them both and they looked up simultaneously. A pretty woman of forty with gray-blue eyes trained on them and her rose red lips pursed stood there holding the door. She glanced from her son to the girl and back again. "I was going to ask you if you were hungry.," she shook her head of lustrious blond hair, "but clearly you two are busy."

Ty rolled away from Charet and got to his feet, pulling her up as well. "We're starved."

"From all the exertion no doubt." The woman's frown softened into a smile. "Come on. We ordered Chinese." She shut the door back and retreated into the main house.

Charet sat down on the bed and gave a long drawn out phew. "I thought she was gonna yank us apart from that expression."

"Nah. She is just as active with Dad." Ty smiled and drapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Uh…"

He laughed. "You just got a mental image of that didn't you?" And then he did too. Eww.

"Hearing about it, fine. Knowing about it, tolerable. Thinking about it, Gross." She made a sour face and knocked him with her hip. "Up. We have to take in some sustenance so we can burn the midnight oil."

"Midnight, huh?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"An expression." She walked to the door and opened it. "Well.."

He stood up and followed her out, shutting the door behind him.

Charet dangled her bare feet in the pool as she sat there, her food digesting. She kicked her feet leisurely in the water and thought about the boy from her dreams, Ryan. Who was he? Why was he so dear to Marissa? And strangely, to her? Caitlyn had mentioned child services. Did that mean he had been an orphan? ABANDONED. The word caught her off guard. Marissa hadn't spoken to her since last night. How come? She had to admit, if she wanted answers Marissa was the one to go to. HIS MOTHER. JAIL. SHE KICKED HIM OUT. He went to jail? Wow, the guy really was interesting. TWICE. SANDY GOT HIM OUT. Sandy? SANDY COHEN. HE TOOK RYAN IN. Ah. So, if you don't mind me asking. HOW DID WE MEET. The fact that Marissa finished her query for her was a little weird. Yeah. HE WAS SMOKING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND I ASKED HIM WHO HE WAS AND FOR A CIGARETTE.

Just like that, Charet was back in the memory like watching a movie.

_Marissa looked over to her left and saw a boy in a blue and black sweatshirt she had never seen. "Who're you?" _

_The boy lit his cigarette and responded, it dancing with the vibration of his tongue. "Whoever you want me to be."_

_Marissa looked away with an amused smirk. "Ok.."_

_The boy continued to smoke._

_Marissa looked over to him. "Hey, can I bum a cigarette?"_

_The boy walked over and handed her one, then went to reach for his lighter and stopped. He touched his lit cigarette to her unlit one instead. And started to back up._

_Marissa took a drag and then dangled the cigarette from her fingers, looking at the boy. "So what are you doing here, seriously?"_

_The boy walked closer to her, leaning his shoulder against a lamp post wall thing. "Seriously. I stole a car. Crashed it. Actually my brother did. Since he had a gun and drugs on him he's in jail. I got out and my Mom threw me out. She was pissed off and drunk. So Mr. Cohen took me in."_

_Taking it all in, Marissa thought quickly with a smile. "You're there cousin from Boston, right?_

_Understanding what she was doing, the boy smiled. "Right."_

The memory faded and Charet found herself staring back at the pool water and her feet in it. It was funny how they had a conversation before either of them thought to introduce themselves. Even from the beginning, the two seemed to have a real connection. I KNOW WE DID. I think Ty and I have that. I just can't figure out if it's because of you two or on our own. BOTH. Ok, she thought with a sigh, which part is actually us? THE CONNECTION. What now? YOU TWO SHARE A CONNECTION. YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH EACH OTHER. THAT MADE IT EASY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE. Ok… then next question.. Again Marissa replied before she asked. THE PASSION IS HALF US, HALF YOU. WE JUST TEND TO TAKE YOU TWO FARTHER THAN YOU ARE OK WITH. SORRY. It's ok. Did you know I live in the model home? There was complete silence for several minutes. And then came the memory just like another movie.

_Marissa walked into a half finished room and addressed Ryan as a song played on the sterio. "This song reminds me of you."_

_Ryan looks up. "I thought you were with Luke."_

_Marissa steps into the room more. "I was. I don't know why I'm here. I just, wanted to see you. I mean, you're leaving tomorrow, and, what if I never ... we never... Maybe I could spend the night. Just hang out."_

_Ryan is quiet a minute and then speaks with a pleading tone. "You can't stay. If you stay ... if, if we spend the night, I ... I don't know that I could leave."_

_Marissa stepped closer. "Well,then don't."_

_Ryan backed away from her. "Yeah, you have to go back to the school in the fall and I just what? Hang around here? Hiding like some ghost? Till the cops find me and I have to disappear again?" He walked closer to her."We're from different worlds."_

_Marissa looks pained. "That's not true."_

_Ryan looked at Marissa. "I'm not like you" He spoke more sharply. "Go_." _His voice softened. "Please. Go." He turns away from her and goes quiet._

_Marissa exits, crying._

Charet shook her head as the memory blacked out and tossed her back to the present. She looked around a minute and then smiled as Ty came out of the main house.

He walked over to her and sat down, his own feet bare and his pants not rolled up as he sets them in the water. "You must have some pretty heavy thoughts."

"You could say that.." She looks at him and his image fades into Ryan's.

"It'll be ok." He puts his arm around her and pulls her closer.

"I want to believe that.." She paused and looked at him sadly. "but I really can't.."

"Charet?" He stared at her trying to understand her mood.

"I'm really sorry, Ty. I.. Just..I can't…" She stood up and started to turn away.

"Wait!..Charet..wait.." He grabbed her wrist and caught her gaze, holding it as he tried to figure her out.

"I like you, Ty… I just..I don't..I'm sorry.." Her eyes turned cold and she pulls her arm free of his grasp. "I won't let what happened to them happen to us. From now on, we talk only so Ryan and Marissa can have time with each other."

_"_Charet.." He called after her as she ran from him. "Charet!" She just kept running.

GO AFTER HER. The demanding tone rocked Ty to the core. For me or for you? YOU. Alright. He took off at a mad sprint, jumping the lawn chair and a rose bush on the way to the gate.

STOP RUNNING. The tone stopped her cold in midrun. Why? FACE HIM. For you or for me? YOU. Ok. She turned back toward the gate just as he came bounding through it.

"Charet. Hang on." He tried to catch his breath. "Talk to me."

She walked over to him. "Where shall I start?"

"Where you went from contemplative to sad would be good.." Ty put a hand to her face and wiped away the tears.

"Mariss and I had a talk. She showed me some things." Charet looked down to the grass.

"Yeah.." Ty lifted her chin up with the side of his fist. "Ryan talked to me this morning too."

"Can we do this? Be them and still be an us?"

"I want to try." He smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug. YOU'RE WELCOME. What makes you think I was going to thank you? BECAUSE MY ADVICE GOT BACK YOUR GIRL…..AND MINE.. Ryan's voice sounded pleased.

"Ok.." She leaned her forehead against his collarbone. A KISS RIGHT NOW.. Would ruin the moment; she finished for Marissa. I know. Let me ask you, knowing everything you went through.. Was it worth it? Wouldn't you have rather never fallen for him? There was a slight hesitation and then Marissa spoke back. IT WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE WORTH IT. I'D NEVER TAKE BACK THE PAST. OUR PAST. And then came a gentle, baritone voice she didn't recognize. I LOVE YOU, MARISSA. She blinked in shock. Ryan? Is this Ryan? Her only response was Marissa's voice. I LOVE YOU, RYAN. Marissa? Answer me! Why did I just hear Ryan! The statement came out tinged with bewildrement. YOU DID..

Ty smiled as he continued the hug. THIS ALWAYS FELT RIGHT. It is right and so is this. Ty focused on Charet and conjured an image of Marissa. With a lot of effort, he managed to fade one for the other.

Ryan held Marissa to him with a strong embrace. "It's been a long time since we hugged.."

Marissa looked up at Ryan and nodded slowly. "That night.."

Ryan held a hand to her mouth. "Shhh..just enjoy the moment.."

Marissa smiled and hugged him closer.

To the currently suppressed Ty, Ryan mentally said thanks and then bent his head to kiss Marissa.

Charet pulled away from Ty and smiled. "That was sweet of you."

Ty just nodded. "I owed him… and still do.."

She nodded. "We always will.."

Then they went back to the kiss, this time as themselves.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ty look unhappily at Charet as he took in what she was saying. "Do you really have to leave for a week?" He didn't want her to go. He'd miss her too much. And Ryan would miss Marissa.

"I'm sorry. It's this family get-together thing we do every year in Georgia. It's just for the week. I'll be back soon." Charet hated her own words. She didn't want to go to some miserable family hang at some remote park in Georgia with all that had happened the past few days. And it wasn't fair to Marissa and Ryan either. But it wasn't like she could just tell her parents that. So she had to go.

"When do you leave?"

"Well..um.." She didn't really know,

Just then, a brown haired man with soft green eyes rapped his knuckles on the wood of the door frame. "Charet, time to go." He smiled at Ty. "Hey, son. I'll be downstairs. Try to be ready in five to ten. Ok?" Without hearing his daughter's response, he desended the stairs.

Ty sighed in dispair. "Guess you're leaving now."

"Yeah.." Charet stood up and retrieved a black duffle from the closet, dropping it on the floor and unzipping it. "Wanna help me pack so we can have a few minutes before I have to go?"

"Sure." He smiled and walked toward her. "So where's your underware drawer? Can't be gone a week without that."

She rolled her eyes. "Very funny. I'll get that myself. You just go nab my toothbrush, toothpaste,shampoo,conditioner,razor and shaving cream from the bathroom for me."

"Ok." He walked into the bathroom and gathered everything she asked for, walking back out with the bundle. She was pressing the contents of the duffle down. "Need help?"

"Nope. Just making room for that." She cast her eyes on the stuff in his arms. "Drop it."

"You don't like put it in a bag or anything?" This girl really was different. Most girls he knew would pack everything in plastic bags and cart huge suitcases with them full of half their closet..just in case. Not Charet. He smiled and let the stuff fall from his arms into the duffle. "There you go."

"Thanks." She smiled and zipping the bag, threw it over her shoulder. "Now..back to that goodbye.."

Ty laughed and hugged her to him, bringing her face up with a hand under her chin. "With pleasure." He kissed her softly, holding her close and preserving the memory for later.

**One Week Later**:

_Shared Dream_

_The wind started to pick up as they walked along the beach, their bare feet smacking against the surf. It was just before the decline of the Sun and the area was slowly becoming deserted. The water lapped gently against their ankles and occasionally splashed their legs as they trudged along._

_"It's beautiful here…" She leaned against his side resting her head inbetween where his neck and shoulder joined. Her hair bannered out behind her as the wind played with it forcing it in every direction._

_"Yeah..my view is breathtaking.." She looks so serene, he thought as he moved a hand up to her face and tucked some of her fly away hair behind her ear. His other hand moved to incircle her waist, his palm coming in contact with the satin fabric of her shirt._

_"I get the feeling you're not talking about the water.." She turned her gaze to him and smiled._

_"What if I'm not?" He smiled back and moved his head down to kiss her softly._

_Shemoved her head, her blue-green eyes, now more blue, directly looking into his. "Then you better kiss me again."_

_He didn't have to be told twice, he met her mouth with his pulling her to him so close he could feel her heart as it thumped in her chest. He wanted her, wanted this, forever. At this moment, no one else existed. The world was theirs. He moved his hand to her shoulder, lightly tugging the little strap of her top down and delicately kissing her soft skin. The quiet "mmm…" sound that came from her in response made him smile._

_She brought her hand to his shoulder and then moved it up to the side of his face, using her fingers to lead it toward her. She deepened his kiss considerably as she moved her tongue across the back of his top row of teeth, moving the hand from his face to the back of his head and curling her fingers into his hair. Her action was rewarded with a low groan of pleasure from him._

_He could feel his knees buckling as the power of her kiss spun in his mind. It was like he had no will of his own. She controlled his every movement. And that was fine with him. Taking the initiative, he gathered her into his arms and took her to the sand with a sweeping motion that ended with him laying on her, his mouth still connected to hers, and their bodies molding together in a perfect fit. His hands moved across her stomach and around to her lower back, holding her to him as he slid her shirt up over her head. "To fast?" He asked into her ear as he kissed her neck._

_"To slow" She answered breathily as the sensation of his warm lips on her skin rocked her senses sending her into a daze. She willingly laid there as his hands took her mind away, and his kisses catapulted her into euphoria._

_End Shared Dream_

Charet sat up in bed breathing heavy, her heart pounding. She'd never experienced a more vivid dream in her life. Her mind was reeling and her body was teeming with heat. Breathe, she told herself repeatedly. What was that? Where did it come from? It wasn't as though she'd never had that kind of dream before, she had. But what made her sit up stunned was who she had been with. And it wasn't Ty. There was no denying it, as much as she wanted to, the boy in her dream was Ryan. Marissa? Marissa?You there? Was that a memory? There was just silence.

"Whoa….." Ty sat up groggily from the couch in the poolhouse where he had fallen asleep last night. That was some dream. Not that he hadn't had one like it before, but this one was just…real. And so vivid. He could still feel the corse sand on his body and smell the salt from the water. He only had one problem with it. The girl hadn't been Charet. It was Marissa who had made a cameo in his dream. Ryan? Hey, man? Was that a memory? No answer came.

Charet looked at the clock for the eighth time in the last minute in hopes that it had changed. No such luck. It still read 4:30pm. She had spent the day finishing the décor of her room and had every type of stain on the old blue business shirt she wearing one could think of. There was paint specs, ink from a busted pen, wood shavings from the sander she'd used earlier, balls of whispy dust from her ceiling fan, and sadly even part of the strawberry smoothie she's made for her lunch. She wiped her paint covered hands on the shirt and looked around, admiring her work.

Her curtains were the focal point and her entire inspiration for the rest of the room. She'd taken one look at her walls and decided to paint her ceiling and the furniture. Now, they shone a pale blue as the daylight hit them from the open window. She stole another look at the clock. 4:31pm. Ok. She couldn't take it any longer. She'd done everything she could think of to keep her mind off of that dream and of telling Ty but her guilt was still there.

She took the phone from it's base and dialed his number. Now was as good a time as any.

Ty looked up from his homework as the phone rang on the nightstand. He knew who it was and he really did not want to talk to her right now. He'd felt guilt ridden all day because of the dream. He'd tried to forget it, but the images kept coming to mind no matter what he was doing. Around 12pm, he'd decided to bury himself in his school work and had finally escaped. Till now.

He sighed and put the receiver to his ear. "Yeah?"

"Hey. Um..are you busy?" Charet sucked in her breath and waited.

"Not really." Ty looked behind him to the alarm clock and noted the time. "It's about time for dinner."

"Yeah.." Charet started to confess right then but something stopped her. "You want to go to the pier with me? I hear it's very couple friendly."

"Sure." Ty smiled. "I'm on my way now." He hung up and moved the books in his lap onto the bed. BEACH. He laughed, about time you started talking. Where were you this morning? DREAMING. He shook his head. So it was you. You sure have some detailed dreams, Ryan. I KNOW. Well, wow anyway.

He fastened his watch on his wrist, picked up the car keys and stuffed his wallet into his back pocket. With a low sigh, he exited the poolhouse and made his way next door. You know, because of you I've felt guilty all day. SORRY. He smiled at the response. No you aren't. OK. I'M SORRY YOU ARE FEELING LIKE THAT. That made more sense, he thought as he neared the model home. WAIT. What? WAIT.WAIT.WAIT. He stopped just outside the front door. What? There was extreme quiet and then in the softest whisper.. I'M NOT READY TO GO BACK.

Ty stood there confused a minute. Then it hit him like a rushing train. Ryan had commited suicide here.

Charet surveyed her appearance in the bathroom mirror and sighed. She didn't have time to wash her hair so the few blue strands in the front, thanks to the paint, would have to stay for now. As for the rest, she had been vigorously scrubbing her hands, arms, and upper body with heavy duty soap and sort of had a left over pinkness to her normally white complection.

She walked back into her room and pulled a light yellow t-shirt off the hanger, slipping it on over her head and hoping the paint in her hair was dry enough not to stain this article of clothing since it was new. With a determined gaze she sought out her boots. "Never fails.." It was like these things had penchant for Hide and Seek or something. She could never find them. No matter where she had put them the day before, they weren't there when she woke up in the morning. "Come on, you stupid parts of a dead cow, show yourselves!" She exaggerated her anger thinking maybe they'd miraculously be visible under a pile of plastic or peeking out from under her bed. No such luck.

"Honey!" As she turned, a rather petite red head with brilliant blue eyes and a soft face was standing just outside her door in a sweatsuit of the ugliest brown she had ever seen.

"Yeah Mom?"

The woman looked around the room in shock. "What did you do to the furniture? And even the ceiling?"

Charet sighed. "I think it looks great.. Now what did you want?"

"Ty asked me to tell you that he is waiting on the porch." The woman shook her head in a puzzled way. "I don't see why he can't just come up to your room like a normal guy." With that, she turned and walked away.

No,Mom, you don't and you won't. But she understood why. In fact, she felt kind of insensitive simply because she had asked Ty to meet her here. She should have known better. Sorry, Ryan. She said silently as she headed downstairs. I wasn't thinking. For the second time, that gentle baritone voice came into her head. MAY I SUGGEST SOMETHING? If you can tell me why I'm hearing both you and Marissa now. WE MATCH THOUGHTS SOMETIMES. Oh. She stepped up to the door and put her hand on the knob to turn it. Suggest away. THE DINER.

Ty stood on shaking legs as he waited for the door to open. Just being on the door step was getting to him. Memories of the house were starting to play in his head when finally the door opned.

"Hey.." Charet stepped out and shut the door. "Sorry about asking you to.."

He cut her off. "Shh.. You didn't realize.." Honestly, it had taken him a few minutes too so why get mad at her? Besides, he thought with a smile, she looks really pretty. The soft yellow of her shirt brought out her the green in her blue-green eyes and complimented her light brown hair. Which, he couldn't help but notice, had some blue streaks in it. "What'd you do to your hair?"

She should have known he'd notice that. "Been painting.." She shrugged, a smile playing on her lips.

"It makes your eyes stand out." He smiled and took her hand as they walked to her jeep.

"You think? So should I just go back upstairs and dump my head in the paint can?"

"Maybe later.." He said as she jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. "I'm kinda hungry.."

"I know exactly where to go.." She backed out of the driveway.

Ty looked down at his uneaten burger and sighed. "Maybe I wasn't so hungry.." He hated wasting food but his eyes were straying to the beauty sitting across from him far more than the medium sized burger in front of him. She wasn't really eating either, he noticed as she slowly bit into her own burger. That made three bites in the last thirty minutes. Something was on her mind. "Wanna tell me, or do I have to guess?" His blue eyes bore into hers as she lifted her head up.

Charet set her burger down and lowered her voice. "Another dream.." Way to cop-out, she scolded herself sharply. Just tell him already. She tapped her fingernails against the table top in annoyance.

"About?" Please say something other than dieing, he thought as he picked up his glass.

"Being with Ryan…" Ok. There. She'd said it.

The liquid that was meant to go in his mouth ended up all over the table as he sputtered in unbelieving shock. "Wha…" Had they had the same dream? Was that even possible? Ryan had said it had come from him.. Then how?

"I know.." She reached for a napkin and started dabbing the wet table, not looking at Ty. "Also.. I've been hearing Ryan…" Finally, ready for the worst, she looked up.

Ty was releaved and dumbfounded all at once. She was hearing Ryan? "I'm not hearing Marissa…" He took a breath and reached across the table for her hand, holding in his own tightly. Confession time. "And ..I. Had the same dream..like you, it was Marissa in mine."

Charet laughed. Of course. The dream had been from Ryan and it had crossed both their minds because they both could hear him now. It made sense, in that why killers go back to the scene of the murder way. "Let's walk"

Ty nodded and dropped a twenty on the table for the waitress. "Sure. Along the pier." He stood up and followed her out.

"So basically….you were uncomfortable.." Ty guessed as he listened to Charet's account of their dream.

"And then some.." She nodded, her eyes trained out at the water. It was so peaceful here.

He laughed at her expense and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "You know.. There's something we haven't done in awhile.."

"What?" Charet turned her head.

Ty smiled at her. "This." He shifted his body a little and put his mouth on hers for a kiss. HOLD BACK. He lifted his eyebrows in question. Why? Ryan's response had a lilt of laughter in it. YOU CAN DO BETTER. I'm confused. JUST LET ME GUIDE YOU. He considered it a minute and agreed, ok. He pulled away from her then.

Charet's brow furrowed as she studied him. "You ok?" He really didn't look good. Almost like he wasn't even there. Sort of catatonic or something. She waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey, Ty..?"

Ty stared at Charet oddly a minute and then smiled. "I have somewhere I'd like to take you.."

Charet raised an eyebrow as he took hold of her hand. "…Ok.."

"Seriously, where are we going?" Charet pleaded for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. "Ty?"

Ty refused to respond as he pulled her along the beach. "We're almost there."

"Where's there?" She demanded quietly.

"Here." Ty stopped a little less than forty feet from their destination.

Charet looked up and an instant tingle went through her. The place was familiar somehow. She stared at the building in front of her. It looked wind abused and old. There was a ramp and a railing that appeared to go all around the building. Actually, it kind of looked like a deserted little beach hut. She let go of Ty's hand and walked forward. "What is this? Your love shack?"

Ty laughed, it was quieter than usual, and put a hand on her back pushing her forward a little. "A girl I used to know used to come here to be alone." His voice softened. "Sometimes I would sit with her. She..she had so much to deal with.."

"You sound like you miss her a lot." She turned toward him, her hand on the ramp. "Stand with me and we'll talk."

He walked up the ramp with her. "She would sit out here and watch the waves crash into the beach." His eyes darkened a little as he looked out over the water. "She ..her life was hard. She drank to numb her pain. And she came here to escape." Finally, he turned back to her. "I want you to have this place. She'd be honored to know it was still helpful for some girl who needed to sink into solitude."

Charet studied the boy beside her very carefully. "I'll take good care of it. I promise." She laid her hand over his on the rail.

Ty looked down to her hand and then up to her face. "I never expected to connect with anyone the way I connected with her. It was just..it felt comfortable. Once, her friend asked her if she missed me." He brought his blue eyes to hers. "We'd broken up. I wanted it to work..it just never did. Well, her answer was one word. A word that cut into me. Everyday. That's what she'd answered." Again, he looked out over the water as it crawled up the beach. "After she …left..someone asked me that same question. Do you miss her?" He stopped talking and closed his eyes before continuing. "All I could think about was that one word. Everyday. I understood then. So I answered him. Do you miss her? Everyday." He moved away from the railing, leaning against the wall of the building. "Around you, I don't miss her anymore. It's like..she came back through you.."

Charet couldn't find anything to say. She'd never seen Ty so sad, so vulnerable. If anything, he was loud and out there. And yet, here he was nearly crying. She moved to his side and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm always here.." She put a hand on his cheek lovingly. "that'll never change. We might not make it as lovers, but I swear to you we will make it as friends. For as long as I live. Ok." She started to pull her hand away when he stopped her by bringing it to his lips and kissing her open palm.

"There's one other thing.." Ty's voice trailed off.

"Yes?" She looked up in waiting.

After a moment of hesitation, he moved to be in front of her and pushed her up against the wall of the building, his hands moving to her sides and his forehead touching hers. "Close your eyes."

Charet did and another movie began to play in her head.

_Ryan looked over to Marissa as they sat on the very top of the ferris wheel. "had to get the cheap ferris wheel didn't you, oh what kinda carnival is this Cooper." He noticed her look and tried again. "UUhh ok ." He closed his eyes to get the image of the ground out of his head. "Look, I don't talk, alot about stuff and I really don't trust people… but I trust you and I wanna make it, this work, no matter what...and if we ever get down from here maybe we could talk about it."  
Marissa answered, amused at his vulnerability. "oh, well who knows when that'll be"  
Ryan swallowed trying to keep his fear supressed, eyes still closed. "Oh please don't say that."  
Marissa's response came casually. "Look, maybe you just need something to take your mind off of it  
Ryan scoffed and turned his head in the direction of her voice. "Oh we're fifty feet in the air how do you expect me to possibly…"  
Marissa kissed him,cutting him off._

_Ryan opened his eyes in surprise, then closed them again and kissed her back._

"Ryan.." Marissa looked up in slight confusion.

_"_Marissa…" He wasted no time in kissing her, pressing her back against the wall and his body into hers. His mouth moved on hers with determination, his hands roaming up her side. "I've missed you…having you around and then not..it was just to hard.." Before she could answer, he'd moved in for another, slower, more sensual kiss.

"Shh..just kiss me.." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. Her kiss became fevered, strong.

Ryan smiled, bending his knees and pulling her down with him. He laid her gently against the weather beaten, wooden floor of the lifeguard station as he kissed her. Marissa was right here. Living. And breathing. After all this time. He had her back. He took a breath to calm his senses and moved to kiss her again.

Marissa kissed him back hungrily, her hands moving under his shirt. "I love you." She curled her fingers into his belt loops and pulled him even closer still. She couldn't get close enough. A few inches away was just to far.

Ryan pulled away and started humming. He knew she'd know the song. She'd even told him it reminded her of him. Then, his voice barely above a whisper and his mouth next to her ear, he actually started singing. "Well Baby I've been here before. I've seen this room and i've walked this floor, I used to live alone before I knew you. And I've seen your flag on the marble arch. And love is not a victory march. It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah. Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah." He finished and looked into her eyes. "You're my Hallelujah. My reason for praise. My reality. My fantasy. My right. And at times..my wrong. And I love you more with every breath I take. You're in my head. And in my heart. Forever."

Marissa didn't know what to say. This was the most words he'd ever said. And the sweetest, most powerful moment they'd ever had together. So she did the only thing that felt right, she started singing back, softly and a little of key. " Well there was a time when you let me know. What's really going on below. But now you never show that to me do you. But remember when I moved in you. And the holy dove was moving too. And every breath we drew was Hallelujah. Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah." She stopped and smiled warmly up at him. "I never stopped loving you. I was to blinded by pain to see it. Johnny..then Volchok.. I was so wrong to you.. I'm sorry."

"Shh..forget the past for now. Just be my future." He smiled and kissed her again sliding his tongue into her mouth and locking it with hers.

"Mmm….willingly…" Charet blinked as her eyes came back into focus. She was back.

Ty stared down at Charet as he laid on her. "What..mmmm..willingly?"

"I..uh..nothing.." She didn't try to shift this time. She was ok with this. It just felt right. To be here. To be with Ty. Everything just felt right. "I love you."

Those words hit him like a avalanche, crushing his breath from his body and making him dizzy with delerium. He'd never heard them before from a girl. And now that he had, from this girl, he wanted to hear it for the rest of his life. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms under and around her torso, and gave her a very slow, sensual kiss in response.

The dream came back to her as they kissed. It pulled her in, stealing her senses and cornering her passion. Maybe it was meant as a foreshadowing. To here. To now. To this moment. They were on the beach. And they were most definetly losing the battle to keep their passion in check.

Worried he'd scare her again, Ty moved off of her and rolled to his side. "Sorry.."

"For what?" Charet looked over to him, her blue-green eyes glowing in the soft moonlight.

"Suddenly, I'm tired." He sat up, holding his hand out to her.

"Oh..?" She smiled and took his hand. "Your bed or mine?"

He laughed and helped her to her feet. "You should never ask a guy that. It's an open invitation to a lot more than actual sleep."

She smiled, moving close to him. "I know."

Ty raised his eyebrows in puzzlement, his eyes on her. "Did you mean it that way?"

Charet shrugged and laid her head aginst his chest. "Honestly, I'm not sure.."

"Then we'll just sleep." He kissed her softly and walked her down the ramp. "Waking up to you, regardless of how, is going to be very nice."

She laughed, hugging him to her with one arm and matching him step for step. "You haven't seen me that early in the morning. It's anything but nice."

"I'll be the judge of that. Believe me, even with mussed hair and morning breath, I'll enjoy waking up next to you."

"That's sweet…I think.."

Ty pulled up into the driveway and cut off the engine of Charet's jeep. He looked over to her sleeping figure and smiled. They hadn't been on the road home for three minutes and she'd fallen asleep. He walked to the other side of the jeep and opened the door. This would be the second time he'd carry her into the poolhouse. But this time, it didn't feel weird. It felt right.

He carefully gathered her into his arms, one arm under the bend of her knees and the other holding her up wrapped around her back, putting her own arm around his neck and moving away from the vehicle. Her head laid against the front of his right shoulder and her other arm was dangling off her legs. She'd never looked more beautiful than she did right now. He felt like she was untouchable. Just something to admire that would be gone with the morning. But that wasn't true. Even if he did wake up and she wasn't there, he knew he'd see her again.

He moved at an angle toward the door of the poolhouse and opened it with the arm under her legs. Lightly, he kicked the door in and stepped over the threshold, slowly laying her down on his bed. He moved his arm out from under her back and stepped away. She was so breathtakingly beautiful to him.

Pulling his shoes off by the door, he walked over to the basket of extra blankets on the floor and pulled one off the pile. He unfurled it and pulled it up over her as she slept. "Sleep well, Charet." He went to the other side of the bed and lowered himself onto the mattress as carefully as he could making sure not wake her with the movements, he laid on his back beside her and closed his eyes. IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING ITSN'T IT? Ryan's voice was light and soft. Yeah, it really is. By the way, what exactly did you say to Charet? I TOLD HER ABOUT MY FEELINGS FOR MARISSA. I JUST NEVER TOLD HER WHO I WAS TALKING ABOUT. Do you think she'll know? SHE DOES. I CAN SENSE IT. Oh. Ryan? YES? What did you ask Marissa just before I took over again? I ASKED IF SHE WOULD BE MY FUTURE, WHY? Cause Charet answered you..at least I think it was her. WHAT DID SHE SAY? Willingly. YEAH,THAT'S MY MARISSA. Goodnight, Ryan. NIGHT. Oh and Ryan.. YES? Since Charet is actually in my bed do you think you could tone down that imagination? POSSIBLY. Try, ok…just..t..r..y…

Ty's mental sentence faded as sleep claimed him for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Charet acted like nothing in the world mattered, her smile was strong and her exceptionally well trained voice echoed off every surface in the poolhouse, as she sang along to Evanescence's "My Immortal" while it came through on the sterio. She dropped to her knees moving her hands over her hips and messing with her already mussed hair as she got into the pain of the lyrics, a sorrowfull expression crossing her face.

Ty sat transfixed on the bed, his icy blue eyes glued to his girlfriend as she performed. Her voice was undeniably the most emotionally charged on key, on pitch, sound he had ever heard. And she was singing to him. Sharing her skill openly with him. And she looked amazing doing it. Her pale yellow t-shirt was slightly wrinkled from sleeping in it last night and her hair still had those adorable blue streaks in it, along with several new creases from the way she had slept.

"I can't believe I just.." She laughed awkwardly and shyly shrugged from her position on the floor. "I don't usually…"

He moved down to the floor and sat beside her, resting his hand on her thigh. "You should..you're amazing.." He smiled at her.

"You're just saying that because you're my boyfriend." She was teasing him.

"No. I'm saying it because it's true. And I'm doing this.." He moved his hand across her thigh and leaned closer his breath on her cheek. "…because I'm your boyfriend.." Then he was pulling her down with a hand on her shoulder, another on her thigh, and his mouth on hers.

"Wait.." She cast a look toward the poolhouse door and its raised blinds.

He chuckled as he ran a hand across her cheek. "Mom goes to work at 8am. It's almost 10am. No super embarrassing encounters today."

She smiled. "In that case.." She moved to sit on his legs and leaned over him, hovering as her arms supported her weight. Her lips found his as she slowly lowered her body onto him, deepening the kiss with each inch she moved lower.

He caught the neck of her shirt, gripped it tightly and yanked, sending her off balance and crashing down onto him with an "oomph". Before she could move, his hands were running across her back, snaking their way under the thin material of her shirt. "So did you enjoy my bed last night?"

"Surprisingly.." She kissed him and then pulled back. "..comfortable.." She kissed him again,then pulled back. "..and.." Kissed him. "..the.." Kissed him. "..best.." Kissed him. "..night.." Kissed him, moving her hands up his chest. "..I've.." Her hands moved to his stomach as she kissed him again. "..ever.." She kissed his upper lip. "..had..with.." Then his lower lip. "..a..guy..". She finished with a quiet "mmmhmm" and looked at him.

"Glad to hear it." He smiled up at her as his hands ran under the back of her bra, and he rolled her over so he was yet again on top, his mouth moving down her throat.

The late morning sun streamed into the small, dirt splattered window of the bus as it pulled to a stop at the Newport Bus Terminal. "Never thought I'd be back here.." A gruff voice spat from the back. Well he was. He gathered his gray sweatshirt and army green duffle bag in his hands and departed the bus.

Three years. Two months. Seventy Days. That's how long he'd been gone. When he'd left, there had been no desire to return. Ever. And yet, here he stood on the street outside the Newport Public Transportation Building and Terminal.

"You Atwood?" A surly man in a cheap suit was staring at him.

"You Forrester?"

"Yeah."

"Then Yeah, I'm Atwood." He threw his duffle over his shoulder and extended his hand. "Names Trey."

Ty looked up as the bathroom door opened in the poolhouse. "We should get to school." He smiled as he fastened his watch onto his wrist. "We missed first and second already."

Charet nodded, smoothing her shirt as she straightened it. "I completely forgot today was Monday. Parents are gonna freak."

He laughed, grabbing his car keys. "Well..we could stay home?" He smiled at her as he held open the door.

She crossed the room. "Tempting..especially after .." She smiled letting the sentence fade.

"Very.." He kissed her cheek and pushed her out the door. "Come on.."

"Oh! Wait! I don't even have my book bag!" She called to him as she sprinted across the pool area. "Back in five!"

Charet turned the key in the lock and entered her house with quiet footsteps in case her parents were still home. She'd made it halfway up the stairs when the sound assalted her ears.

"OOOhhh….ooohh…."

She turned three shades all at once, red for embarrassment, green for sick, and blue from holding in her breath as she put her hands over her ears. What her parents did in their private time was all thier business and she really did not need to hear it.

She silently crossed the carpeted hallway to her room and picked up her book bag from the floor. Ok. Now to just get downstairs without being seen. She took a deep breath and stepped back into the hall.

A male voice she had never heard before was calling out. "Jen! Where's the oil in here?"

Charet froze. She couldn't move another step. No way. Her book bag slipped from her fingers and tumbled down the stairs landing with a loud thud against the wood floor. Move! She screamed at her feet in a panic. But she couldn't.

"What the heck was that!" The man's voice was coming toward the door now.

Still, she couldn't move. She knew what she was going to see as soon as the door opened and it was going to destroy her. And then the door opened.

Ty checked his watch as he waited in his Range Rover, listening to some unknown band's new hit single. They weren't bad. Where was Charet?

Jennifer Connors stood there wrapped in her 300 thread count purple sheets, her bright blue eyes staring in surprise at her daughter. "Oh…god.."

Charet wasn't even looking at her mother. Instead, her eyes were boreing into the naked man who stood there beside her. He was younger by about ten years, had green eyes and a strong build. With cold eyes, she turned to her mother. "What's his name mother?" She couldn't control her anger anymore as she screamed each word forcefully. "TELL ME HIS DN NAME !"

"St..stev..Steven.." Jennifer stammered, not meeting her daughter's gaze.

Steven reached forward and clammped his hand around Charet's arm. "You'll keep your mouth shut, you little mistake!"

Jennifer turned anger eyes onto him. "Steven! Stop!"

Steven ignored her protests. "That's right! You're a mistake! You weren't even supposed to be born! She didn't want you! She never has!"

Charet struggled to get her arm loose and to keep her senses. "Let go!"

Steven held her tighter, his face inches from hers. "Jennifer only married Dave because of you! She should be my wife! But no! You had to come along and mess up her life!"

Jennifer reached out for her daughter. "Charet.."

Charet studied her mother and the man with cold eyes. Then kneed the man in the groin, jerked her arm loose, and took the stairs four at a time.

"CHARET!" Her mother called her name just as the door slammed shut with a glass breaking bang.

Ty looked up as the passanger side door was wrenched open. "Charet?" He took one look at her piercing blue-green eyes stained with tears and felt his fists clench. "Charet?" His voice was desperate.

Charet slammed the door, buckled her seatbelt and let loose the loudest, most passionate scream her lungs could accomidate, her fists pounding against the dashboard.

"Charet.." Ty's gentle voice cut into her screams as his hands grabbed her wrists to stop her.

"Drive. The Beach. Now." Charet bit her lip as tears poured down her cheeks.

"Ok.." Ty backed out of the driveway without another word.

Trey looked around the room with a smile. It was pretty homey with white curtains, strudy furniture, a good sound system in the corner and a fair sized kitchen off the main room. He turned to the man behind him. "All this for free?"

Forrester chuckled airily. "As long as you're in my employee. We set up a cover job for you at the nearest high school. Some posh place with lots of fashionites and such."

Trey blinked. "Harbor?"

"Yeah.. That's the name. You know it?" Forrester walked up beside him.

"You could say that.." Trey smiled at the man. "So what will I be doing?"

"Janitorial work and odd jobs like fixing it stuff. And ..of..course..your real job. Survallance." Forrester clapped him on the shoulder. "It shouldn't be too hard. She's quite the looker. Even if she is seventeen."

Trey laughed. "Name?"

Forrester handed him a small photograph. "Connors. Charet Connors. Daddy owes lots of money to powerful people. Mainly me."

"Hmmm.." Trey pocketed the picture and grinned. "Well, boss..I'm gonna take a nap and then head to the job."

Forrester nodded. "Sure. Go on. You aren't expected at Harbor till two anyways."

Trey listened as the door closed and then let out a slow breath. He was back. And he was gonna cause more trouble. This time, he didn't want to. He had no choice. It was do as he was told or a bullet in the skull.

He pulled the picture out of his pocket and looked at it again. She was as Forrester had said quite the looker. Actually, she reminded him of another seventeen year old. Marissa Cooper. What ever happened to her anyway? And Ry? Did they get married? Maybe he'd swing by their place tomorrow or something. No doubt Ry would break his neck and Marissa…well she'd just.. No. Stop thinking about it.

He dropped the photo on the coffe table and plopped onto the couch. He needed sleep.

"Dave Connors here, how can I help you?"

Charet listened to the familiar voice and felt her body shake with anger at her mother as she stood inside the little phone booth. "Daddy.."

Dave's voice was tinged with worry. "Charet? What's wrong? Did something happen to your mother? You?"

"Daddy..Mom's been cheating on you."

There was quiet for a long time. "Are you ok, Charet? Where are you?"

She ignored both questions. "His name is Steven. I went to retreive my book bag this morning and heard them."

"Hold on. You heard them? Did they.."

Charet cut him off. "Steve bruised my arm and told me some things. Daddy..does Mom even love you?" There it was. Simple and clean.

"She used to. I'm sorry, honey. I'll deal with everything when I get home ok?"

"Yeah..but I won't be there." Charet sucked in her breath.

"You can stay at Ty's if that's what your saying. I'll get you in the morning."

"Daddy..?"

Dave's voice was soft with concern. "Yeah, honey?"

"I'm skipping school today."

"I understand. I love you, honey. Everything will be ok. I promise." There was a weird noise on the other end for several seconds and then he spoke again. "I have to go. Ok."

"Ok. Bye." Charet clicked the off button on her cellphone and dropped her hand to her side. Everything wasn't ok. It never would be. Her mother had betrayed her father and her. First losing James. Now losing her mother. If she lost her father, she might as well shoot herself.

"You shouldn't be out alone?"

Charet turned around and came face-to-face with someone she never thought she'd ever see again. "You…"

Inside the diner, Ty drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. Charet had left for the restroom almost ten minutes ago. What could be keeping her? She still hadn't said anything to him about her mood. He was obsessed with finding out what was making her cry..or who… This feeling was raw and strong. Something he had never felt before. It was like justice on overdrive. His hands ached to punch something. His mind was racing.

He stood up and stomped toward the bathrooms. Taking a hard breath, he pushed open the one marked Women. "Charet?" The only response he got was furious shrieks and the door being pushed shut again. OUTSIDE. Ryan's voice was insistent. What? GO. He knew better than to question Ryan so he headed outside.

"Lovely to see you too, Charet, Baby." Kirk grinned, his blue eyes traveling up and down her body.

Charet looked over the boy carefully. Brown hair. Blue eyes. Black clothes. That disturbing grin. She could feel her body tensing as she moved to back up. "Why are you here?"

He stepped forward. "For you."

She stepped away again. "You should be in jail."

He laughed, mockingly, and smiled. "And you should be bleeding from every surface of your body lying at the bottom of the bluff. Guess we're both disappointed."

Charet took another step back and felt the cold, scratchy surface of the outside wall of the diner against her back. She was cornered. "Get out of here." Marissa! Marissa! She screamed inside her head. Ryan! One of you please answer! Please.

Kirk came toward her, putting his arms on either side of her, holding her to the wall. "You're shaking." He smiled that disturbing smile. "You're scared. I know it." He moved one of his hands away from the wall and onto her shoulder. "I could make you scream right now. Look around. No one's here to save you this time."

Charet bit her lip to hold her scream. She wasn't giving him the satisfaction of breaking down. Ryan! Marissa! The gentle baritone of Ryan's voice finally answered. TY IS COMING. Ryan…Ry..Ryan.. She could hear the tremble in her mental voice and knew that it would be present if she said something outloud. HANG ON, CHARET. HANG ON, OK. Ryan's pleading tone brought her to her senses a little. Trying, Ryan. Trying.

Kirk moved his body closer to hers bringing her chin into his hand. "You never should have angered me. James would be alive. You and I would be together. And you'd still be at Union." He lowered his voice. "But you just had to report me. Didn't you? I told you I'd make you pay."

Charet steeled her nerves as she looked into Kirk's eyes. "Stalking is illegal. I had every right to report you. And you and I will never be together again. Now..get..off..me.."

"Or what? What's my little Charet gonna do?" Kirk moved the hand on her shoulder over to her throat and pressed his thumb into it. "You can never escape me, Baby. Move. Change schools. Get an alysis. I'll always find you. And one day. Soon. I will break you, Charet." His hand lowered to rest on her breast. "You'll scream. You'll cry. You'll bleed." His hand lowered onto her stomach. "You'll ask for mercy." His cold eyes looked right at her as his hand moved onto the front of her jeans, resting there as if it belonged. "And I'll enjoy every minute of it."

Charet flinched as his hand pressed against the fabric of her jeans. Where is Ty! She begged Ryan. I'LL KILL HIM. IF I HAVE TO TAKE OVER TY AGAIN TO DO IT. I'LL KILL HIM. Ryan's cold, aggressive tone scared her. I'm ok. She said, but she knew it wasn't true. She far from ok. WHO IS HE? His name is Kirk. He stalked me all through tenth grade so I reported him. He went to jail for awhile. Then when I was dating James, he tried to kill me. James died instead and Kirk went into the hospital. I moved. Changed schools. Oh, god..Ryan, I'm so scared. I'M HERE. I'LL STAY HERE. Thank you.

"Still speechless? I thought you were gonna hurt me?" Kirk laughed, his hand not moving. "Come on. I know how much this bothers you. Do something about it. I can't wait to hurt you."

"Get your hands off her!"

They both turned their heads just in time to see Ty lunge.

Ty tackled the boy, holding him down with both his body and his arms. He raised his hand into a fist and plowed it into his head several times. He'd lost it. All he wanted to do was make this boy bleed. A lot. He hit him again and again and again. All the pent up anger he had was finally being given an outlet. And he was going to use it. He rammed his knee into the boy's stomach. "What" He threw his head against the ground. "The" Again he kneed him. "Hll" He couldn't stop himself. It was like he was no longer in control. His anger had mastered him. "Are You Doing To My Girlfriend?"

Charet watched in horror as Ty beat on Kirk. She'd never have expected this kind of raw rage from him. It just didn't fit. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and pressed the 9. Then stopped. So what if Kirk ended up in the hospital? He deserved it. Hll, he deserved a padded cell and one meal a day of wormy bread and dirty water. She wasn't calling 911. No way.

Ty kicked the boy over and over in the stomach. He knew he didn't have this much anger. This wasn't him. Ryan! Ryan, stop! But his foot kept kicking and fists kept punching. Then a soft alto voice echoed throughout his mind. RYAN, STOP. THIS ISN'T TREY. Marissa? Is this really Marissa? Instead he heard Ryan. I'LL KILL HIM! Ryan, stop! Charet's ok! Again that soft voice came. RYAN. STOP. And he did. His feet stopped kicking and his hands quit punching as he fell against the wall panting.

Charet kneeled down next to Ty, a concerned look in her eyes, and took his hands in hers. "Ryan took you over, didn't he?" She lightly pressed the hem of her shirt against his bloody knuckles.

Ty nodded. He couldn't speak. His breath was still escaping him. He looked over to the boy on the ground curled into himself. Was he ok?

"Hey! What happened here!" A large man holding a cellphone was staring at them with a mixed expression of fear,worry,compassion,and anxiousness.

Charet looked up. "That boy attacked me so my boyfriend fought back." There was no point in going into everything right now. All the man needed to know was what she had told him. Nothing else mattered. "We need ice so we're gonna go back into the diner."

The man studied her as if he was gauging whether or not to trust what she said. Then he nodded. "I'm calling the cops for you. Stay in the diner."

"Yeah.." Ty used both Charet's strength and the building to support him as he stood back up. "thanks.." He couldn't look at the bloody heap on the ground so he averted his eyes to Charet's. "You ok?"

"For now." She smiled lightly and wrapped his arm around her neck. "Come on. You should sit down."

"I'm ok. My hands are just killing me that's all." He lowered his voice as they stepped through the diner's door. "Ryan sure fights hard." WHAT DO EXPECT? I'M FROM CHINO. Well, dang.. you could have at least left him conscious. HE DESERVED EVERY SINGLE HIT HE GOT. He wasn't going to argue. Ryan had been there, well kinda, and he hadn't.

Trey yawned and sat up. That had been some nap. He felt wonderful. Well almost. There was one thing missing. He reached for his jacket and extracted the little plastic baggie full of white powder. A few snorts and then off to work. He carefully dipped his car keys into the bag………and triggered a memory.

_Trey held Marissa to him by the waist. "come on come on I've seen the way you look at me n- no ones ever ben this nice to me"_

_Marissa looked at Trey in fear and tried to pull away. "Yeah cause you're Ryan's brother.."_

_Trey shook his head. "no it is more then that an you know it and I-I get it, you don't wanna hurt him but he doesn't have'ta know"_

_Marissa tried to get free. " Trey no, no way ..ok never"_

_Trey looked at her annoyed. "what-what-what, wait-wait-wait are you ? I'm not good enough.."_

_Marissa shook her head and tried again to get free. "no look I don't mean it like that ok just let go"_

_Trey pulled her closer. "well come on then what what here I am right an Ryan gets all the-all the good life, huh right" He tried to kiss her._

_Marissa turned away and tried again to get free, pushing him away at his shoulders. _

_Trey forced her to the sand landing so he was on top of her._

_Marissa struggled to get out from underneath him. "Get off of me"_

_Trey held her down, speaking to her in her ear. "c'mon c'mon one-night no one needs to know"_

_Marissa tried to struggle again, terrified. "get off me..ow.."_

_Trey tried to quiet her. "Shhh…" He kissed her neck._

_Marissa struggled against him. "_ _pllllleeeaaassseee, get off, ow, ooooowwww.." She reached her hand out and pulled a piece of driftwood down onto his head hard. Then tried to crawl away._

_Trey grabbed her around the waist and tried to pull her back succeeding._

_Marissa struggled again, keeping his hands off her and finally getting loose and running away._

Trey shook his head vigorously to shake the memory and dropped the bag on the floor in his confusion. Snorting had been the reason he'd attacked her. Marissa. He stood up, leaving the baggie on the floor. He had work to do.

"So that's why you had to move and change school?" Ty put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "Well…I'll protect you. And if I can't. Ryan will step in."

Charet chuckled and leaned her head against his arm. "What so you think caused him to snap like that?"

"Don't know. Marissa kept telling him it wasn't Trey. Maybe that's the name of a guy who hurt her once?" He sighed and looked down at his bandaged hands.

"So you finally heard Marissa." She smiled and lightly rested her hand over his. "Did she talk to you?"

"No. Just to Ryan." He looked at her. "Why?"

"I just thought she might.." She shrugged and took his hands in hers. "I don't know if you can handle being with me right now."

"What?" He was stunned.

"I mean.. with everthing…my mom, Kirk, and hearing Ryan and Marissa. I just don't think it's fair to you.."

"Shhh…" He moved a bandaged hand over her mouth. "We are doing ok with the spirit couple, Kirk is probably on his way back to jail, and your mother isn't worth your tears. Hush. You're not getting rid of me any time soon. If ever." He smiled and removed his hand to kiss her.

"Ty…" She smiled back. "I'm no picnic. I'm like a hurricane. And all this..it's just too much.. I.." Her sentence was cut off completely as he kissed her again.

Hours later, Charet walked up the ramp of the lifeguard station and looked back out at the water. This had been one weird and scary day. Ty had been so sweet. And Ryan coming to her rescue. HE DOES THAT. Hey, Marissa. HEY. Thanks for getting him to stop earlier. IT WAS HARD. I THINK HE KEPT SEEING THAT AS HIS CHANCE TO REDEEM HIMSELF. Redeem? Marisa was silent several minutes. RYAN'S BROTHER TRIED TO RAPE ME WHILE HE WAS OUT OF TOWN. THEN HE LIED ABOUT IT SAYING I ACTUALLY CAME ONTO HIM AND RYAN BELIEVED HIS BROTHER OVER ME. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT MADE HIM TRUST ME AGAIN BUT SOMETHING GOT TO HIM. Marissa? YES? Is Trey the name of Ryan's brother? YES. Ah. DO YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE YOU ALONE NOW? Why would you ask that? There was a minute of silence and then. CAUSE WHEN I CAME HERE THAT'S WHAT I WANTED. TO BE ALONE. AND TO DRINK. Well, I'd like you to stay. At least for a little. OK. She sat down on the wood platform with her back against the building and her eyes on the ocean. There was a lot to think about. A lot to mull over. And too much to forget.

Ty laid on his bed, his eyes on the ceiling. Today was one of the most strange days he'd ever had. That included learning about the other guy in his head. Which was pretty weird too. Hey, Ryan? There was a small silence. YES? Why'd you lose it on that guy today? IT'S A LONG STORY. I've got time. ALRIGHT. MOST OF MY LIFE I HAD WOMEN PROBLEMS. What like relationships? NO. LIKE I ALWAYS HAD TO HELP THEM OUT. IT WAS INGRAINED IN MY HEAD. IF A WOMAN IS IN DISTRESS…YOU HELP HER. Ok. MARISSA WAS LIKE THAT TOO. SHE WAS A TRAINWRECK AND STILL I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. BUT THE ONE TIME SHE REALLY NEEDED ME….I WASN'T THERE. There was a short pause and then Ryan continued, his voice darker. I HAD TO GO TO MIAMI TO VISIT THE COHEN'S FAMILY. MY BROTHER WAS IN TOWN JUST OUT OF JAIL. I ASKED MARISSA TO KEEP HIM COMPANY WHILE I WAS GONE. Again there was a pause. HE TRIED TO …..HE ATTACKED HER. You changed your words? THE RIGHT WORD WOULD BRING YOU IMAGES. Oh.. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HER WHEN SHE TOLD ME BECAUSE MY BROTHER, TREY, HAD SAID SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I WAS MAD AND CONFUSED. …..IF I EVER MADE A BAD MISTAKE WHILE WITH HER, IT WAS NOT TRUSTING HER. AND NOT BEING THERE. Ryan, hey, you couldn't help it. You had to leave. I SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT. HE WAS INTO HER..I KNEW IT. I JUST..DIDN'T..THINK..HE..WOULD.. There was total silence as Ryan's voice dissolved into tears.

Ty laid on the bed wanting to comfort the guy but totally clueless on how to do it. He closed his eyes. Ryan. You ok? YES. HARD MEMORIES. Sorry, man. But, hey. Thanks for stepping today. IF YOU SEE A WOMAN IN DISTRESS…..YOU HELP HER. Still, thanks. YOU'RE WELCOME. TAKE CARE OF HER, TY. SHE DESERVES IT. Marissa? NO. CHARET. I CAN HEAR HER THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW. SHE IS WONDERING IF SHE IS BEING FAIR TO YOU. What'd you mean, fair? SHE IS CONSIDERING SAYING GOODBYE. As in? BANG. Oh..no..

STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW. Ryan? YES. NOW,STOP. I'm no good to anyone. I'm nothing but trouble. My own mother didn't even want me.. YOU HAVE TY. HE LOVES YOU. YOU HAVE YOUR DAD STILL. He's not gonna be the same anymore though. Mom was his everything. CHARET, LISTEN TO ME. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. IT HURTS AND IT'S NOT QUICK TO DULL THE PAIN. IT'S ETERNAL. THERE IS NO GOING BACK. THERE IS NO WHAT IF. YOUR LIFE IS DONE. Not yours. STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONE MYSELF. Ah. Well, Ryan, I'll think about it. Or I mean.. I won't think about it. DON'T. AND CHARET. Yeah? LOOK UP.

Charet did and smiled.

Ty walked up the ramp and sat down beside her, putting an arm over her shoulders and pulling her close. "A little birdie told me you might need some comforting." He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"That little birdie seems to flap his mouth way more than he flaps his wings." She sighed and cuddled close to him. "But he does make sense." SO YOU'LL LISTEN? Yes. GOOD.

"Your life will get back together soon…and if not…I always be there to help you pick up the pieces." Ty leaned his head against hers.

"We're gonna need one huge box then.." Charet reached for his hand and held it tightly as she looked out over the ocean.

"We can carry it together." Ty looked out over the water and then closed his eyes, his hand in hers.

They fell asleep, holding each other and listening to the crash and retreat of the waves on the sand.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Trey reached down into the trash bin and gathered the corners of the bag together, hauling it out with on hand and dropping it in his cart. Some job. This was so disgusting. He shook his head and moved onto the next trash bin. This one happened to be located only a few feet from his target.

For seventeen, she was really getting to him. That long silky brown hair. Those blue-green eyes that let you read her soul or nothing at all depending. She looked about 5'8. But she also wore boots every day, so that could be wrong. She could very well be a lot shorter. Say 5'6. Either height was manageable, but shorter was easier to overpower.

Without drawing to much attention to himself, he had surveyed this girl all day per his boss's request. And to say she wasn't making him crazy would be a lie. Just watching the way she walked with that little, hardly noticeable hip sway and how her moved when she laughed or ran. Oh yes. She was getting to him.

He shook his head and pulled another bag loose from its bin. Stop thinking about it, man. Forrester would shot you cold for mentioning it. He'd been observing her for four days now and there had been no word from his boss. What was keeping that guy, anways?

Again, he looked at her. This time he couldn't turn his gaze away. Something was pulling him in, and he knew it wasn't her directly. He brought his eyes to her level and waited for her to look his way. She'd done it once already today and it had made him tingle of some unknown feeling as his blood grew hot in his veins.

There was just something about this girl. Something mysteriously intoxicating and dangerously familiar. Look at me. He mentally made the demand at least once a day if not more. Her eyes on him was like a shot of adrenaline. It woke him up physically,mentally, and internally. But there was one small problem. She was illegal.

Trey shook his head and headed over to another trash bin. He needed to concentrate on his cover job or else his real one would be compromised and his life would undoubtedly end with a bullet in the head.

Caitlyn Cooper sat poised on the low brick wall in the quad, her eyes carefully watching the janitor as he emptied the bins for the day. Was it her imagination, or was he seriously scopping out Charet? She cast a casual glance to her left and saw the girl sitting on the ground, holding her boyfriend's hand and laughing. The eyeline was definetly right. There was no doubt that this man was watching Charet.

She slowly rose from the wall leaving her posse of gossiping gigglers as she made her way over to the happy couple. How exactly was she going to do this anyway? Just go up and say.. Hey Charet, the janitor has been really watching you in a totally creepy way. Well, actually, that didn't sound that bad.

"Hey Charet, Ty."

Charet looked up in surprise and then smiled. "Hey, Caitlyn."

Ty simply nodded, his mouth to busy with kissing Charet's exposed shoulder.

Caitlyn smiled warmly and kneeled low to the ground so she could appear like she was gossiping but really tell about her suspicions. "The janitor has been staring at you on and off all day."

At that, Ty looked up with a clouded expression on his face. "What?"

Caitlyn pretended to nod animatedly as if they had given her a particularly juicy piece of gossip with the instructions not to tell anyone. "The new janitor. He's been hard core ogling Charet on and off all day."

Charet listened and then turned her gaze to the man in question. Watching as he immediately ducked his head low and turned a little. Oh no. Caitlyn might actually be right. She turned her attention back to Ty, curling her fingers into his hair. "I get the feeling he really is."

"Seriously?" Ty looked around as if searching for a familiar face in the quad, but he was focused on the janitor. The man casually looked up once again and saw no one was looking back at him so he stared. Hard.

Then the man was moving closer.

Caitlyn stood back up and smoothed her skirt. "See you around, guys!" She called in false bubbliness.

Ty stood and pulled Charet to her feet. "I would feel better if we moved away..far away."  
Charet nodded and they walked back into the student's lounge.

Trey watched as she walked away with that guy and found himself jealous. He wanted to be the guy with his arm around those lightly tanned shoulders, that silky hair falling over his skin. He was nearly twenty-four and he couldn't keep his mind or other parts of his body of f of a seventeen year old girl. He needed a fix badly. What time did this job end anyway?

No longer thinking about the weird janitor from earlier, and completely wrapped up in the moment, Charet moved her fingers around the PS2 controller with rapid speed as her character demolished wave after wave of weird looking enemies with it's dazzling blade ability. "Ha! I'm actually getting good at this!" She moved a little to the left as her controller shook.

Ty laughed as he worked his own controller determined not to lose. "The last time we played, you died repeatidly. Now you can't die at all?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "Did you play me, Charet?"

She chuckled as she killed yet another enemy. "Are you kidding me? No."

He shrugged and reached toward the tv, pressing the reset button on the console. "I'd rather be doing something else."

She set her controller down and grinned. "Really now?"

"Oh yeah.." He moved to cup her face in his hand and kissed her, pushing her against the edge of the bed.

She pulled back enough to answer him. "Should have seen this coming.." She smiled and went back to kissing him. What was wrong with a little fun? She'd had a crumy couple of days and needed some cheerfulness in her immediate future. That meant time with Ty.

Ty moved forward, lifting her upper body up and across the bed. His hands went to her sides and his mouth to her neck. His kisses came with recklessness as he worked one hand under her off the shoulder blue top.

Charet wrapped an arm around his back as she kissed him. Her fingers curled into his arms as he moved her further onto the bed. Her back fell into the cloud like mattress with ease as he moved his body over hers.

"I'm going try something a little bit different today." He said as he hovered abover her, supporting his upper body weight with his arms.

"Like?" She raised up to her elbows and studied him.

He just smiled and gently pushed her back down. "You'll see." Then his hands moved to the front of her stomach and he started to tug her shirt up, leaning his body down so his lips could graze her skin. For each half inch he moved up the shirt,his lips kissed her skin softly.

She laid back enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin.

His mind a muddle,Trey locked his door and sat down on the couch, grabbing the little plastic baggie out from under the beige throw pillow. He couldn't get that girl off his mind. He needed something to mess with his senses so he would quit thinking about her. So he snorted.

"You're free to go, kid." The sweet blond nurse patted Kirk on the back and handed him his discharge paper. "Try and stay away from that rough crowd now, ok?" She smiled and exited his hospital room.

"Finally." He spat as he ripped of the ugly whit-gray hospital gown and crossed the room to get to his clothes in the plastic bag. He pulled his black pants back on and zipped them quickly. Then he dragged his black t0shirt back over his head and dug his feet into his black boots.

Charet was so going to pay. For putting him jail. For all his new injuries. She was going to pay for everything. And pay hard. And that rageaholic boyfriend of hers too. He'd never been beaten up that badly by one person before. Ever!

He'd entered the hospital on a gurney, much against his wishes, and they had checked him thoroughly to conclude that besides a few bruised ribs and some bruises on his skin and a fat lip and blackeye, he was just fine. But he wasn't fine. He was fuming. And Charet was going to pay!

Kirk kicked the nearby chair and listened as it skidded across the tile floor and into the wall. "You are so going to pay. I was just going to mess with you. Now, Charet. I'm going to hurt you. Deep. Emotionally hurt you." He walked out into the hall and continued till he was out of the hospital all together. She was so going to get it now. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her.

He walked down the street with determined and aggressive steps. The sooner he got to her neighborhood, the easier it would be to get to her. And then, she would have no hope. Which is exactly why he loved it.

Dave Connors stood in the bedroom he used to share with his wife and felt his heart plummet into the depths of his soul. Jennifer had betrayed him and Charet. He dropped the box he was holing and kicked it over to the dresser they had shared.

He sntached all her jewelry, perfumes, watches, and scarves off the top and into the box. He wanted nothing left in this room that belonged to that woman. And if it took him all night to get it done, by golly, he would do it. He went to the closet and snatched all her shirtsm skirts, dresses and pants off their respective hangers and dropped the pile into the box as well. That did it for the closet and the dresser. Now for all her personal stuff.

He wrenched open her night stand drawers and started throwing everything into the box with a thwack as it hit the edges. All her feminine products, her books, her magazines, letters, stationary, pens, pencils, even her lamp went into the box.

He was to absorbed in his activites to hear the front door open and close when it did.

Kirk took slow, quiet steps into the house as he looked around in caution. There was nobody around though. How lucky. He could easily get to her room and hide out for a few hours till she came home. She'd never know what hit her. Or rather, who.

He went to his tiptoes as he slowly and as noiselessly as possible ascended the stairs. There was a weird baging coming from the second room on the right that made him freeze mid step. He was going to get caught! Then, he realized with a grin, the person was so into what they were doing and that that the door was closed so he had nothing to worry about afterall. Good. The last thing he wanted to do was actually hurt Mr. Connors. He actually like the guy. He'd been his student once in fifth grade. Then the guy had jumped ship with the shoolboard and taken up some broking job or something. But his pretty, friendly, fragile daughter had remained. So it wasn't all so bad. Was it?

He stepped down the hall very slowly toward what he believed to be Charet's room. The blue door kind of took the guess work out of it. This girl did love her blue. Maybe a little too much. He walked into the room and gasped noiselessly. The walls were alternating blue and green with a blue ceiling and blue, newly painted furniture. And those hideous curtains. If you could even call them that. They looked more like strings of green stones and fragments of broken mirror. Actually, they could be useful as a way to hold her.

He walked over to the window and fingered the strands. They cut into his skin and he smiled. Oh yes, they would do great as rope when necessary. Now, to escape and noise proof the room. Hmm.. This was going to be hard. But knowing the reward, he was most definetly up for the challenge. Something pulled him to look out the window and his gaze fell on Charet and that boy from earlier. They were play-fighting by the neighbor's pool. He turned away, disgusted.

"Put me down!" Charet shrieked in a playful manner as Ty held her up over the pool. "Ty! I'm completely clothed! Put me down!" She wriggled in his hold.

"Say it!" Ty smiled at her. "Say it or I'll drop you."

Charet laughed and shook her head. "I swear! I didn't know!" Of course, she really did.

Ty shook his head. "Last chance!"

She didn't say anything.

So he set her down on the deck area again.

"You are so.." She pushed him hard, sending him forward into the water, unfortunately he grabbed her wrist at the last second and yanked her in with him.

"So what?" He asked from his standing position in the shallow end.

"Dang it, Ty. Now I'm all soaked!" She was shouting, but she was laughing at him too.

"Well," he grinned, "you could always strip."

"I'm good. No danger of drowning so I'll stay clothed thanks." She grinned at him. "You know I'm going to get you back now?"

He laughed, pulling her into him. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." She smiled.

"Well, for now how about a truce?" Before she could answer, he moved his mouth onto hers and forced them both underwater.

Charet's head came back up a minute later, her lips still locked on his. "Wow..That was too cool." Marissa? The soft voice answered immediately. YES? You ever kiss underwater. Like a French? NO. Oh..well you should try it with Ryan for sure. He'd love it. I MIGHT. There was a laughing edge to her tone.

Ty smiled and hugged her body to him. "Love you."

Charet smiled back. "You better."

He laughed. "I do."

"Good." She moved closer to him. "Cause I do too."

Ty was thoughtful a minute and then smiled. "You know who would enjoy this?"

Charet smiled. "Was thinking the same thing."

Ty focused on morphing Charet's wet watery image into that of a wet, drowned rat looking Marissa.

Charet brought an image of Ryan into her mind and closed her eyes tightly.

Ryan smiled at Marissa and enveloped her into a water logged hug. "Hey."

Marissa hugged him to her like she never wanted to let him go. "Hey."

"Missed you." He hugged her tighter.

"Me too, Ryan." She smiled and moved her face up to kiss him then held back. "You remember our first date?" She studied him in wait.

"The one on the boat?" He was tesing her of course. He'd never forget their first date. It had been so full of potential. And she had looked really really sexy all soaked with pool water.

"No. The surprise pool party for two." She grinned and splashed him.

"Oh yeah.. Right." He splashed her back. "What about it?"

"Do you remember it?"

"Most of it."

"Do you remember this?" She lifted her top over her head and let it drop into the water.

Ryan laughed lightly. "Now that definetly did not happen. I'd remember." He cast his eyes over her wet, nearly naked body. She hadn't changed. Not one little bit.

"What about this?" Marissa undid her jeans and moved to float on her back. "Pull."

Ryan yanked them off and dropped them behind him, pulling her into a tight embrace, burying his mouth into her neck.

Marissa let out a small moan and moved her legs around his waist. "Ryan.."

Ryan looked to her. "Yeah?"

Marissa looked at him with worry clouded eyes. "Do you think Charet could get pregnant?"

"I don't know." Ryan sighed. "We should stop."

Marissa looked down a minute and then her eyes brightened. "Ty's a seventeen year old boy. He's probably got protection."

Ryan couldn't help but laugh. "Are you serious?"

Marissa was dead serious. Odd choice of words there. "Yes."

Ryan looked from her to the water and the poolhouse. "If we get Charet pregnant she's gonna re-kill us." He moved her around in his arms so he was carrying her in the way he always had, one arm around her upper back, the other under her knees and he walked out of the pool and into the poolhouse. Leaning forward and gently laying her down on the bed. "You sure, Marissa?"

Marissa responded by moving to undo her bra.

Kirk sat impatiently in Charet's desk chair as he again glanced at the clock. It was almost 8pm. She should have been home by now. He laughed at himself. He sounded like he was actually concerned for her. That was a joke. She wasn't some rebelling daughter. She was his victim. And she extremely late.

Her father had gone to sleep hours ago after, near as he could tell, ransacking her mother's belongings. If he had to guess, he'd say that Mrs. Connors was no longer welcome in this place. Which he was ok with him because he never had liked her. She was always flirting with his dad. He drummed him fingers on the desk and sighed. Then he heard it. The front door had opened. Finally. He moved from the desk into her bathroom and waited quietly for her to walk into her room.

Ty stared up at his ceiling in the poolhouse in a daze. Did you enjoy yourself? YOU SOUND ANNOYED. Ryan's voice was concerned. I am a little. I'M SORRY. Don't bother. I get it. You missed her and she was in the mood. What I'd like to see is you explain it to Charet. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Clearly Marissa didn't bother to ask. WHAT, TY? Now Ryan sounded really worried. There was quiet and then a groan. CHARET WAS A… Yep. OH NO..

Charet entered her room and immediately dropped onto her bed. She was exhausted for some reason. She could hardly feel her legs at this point and her head was all over the place. She wanted a hot shower but she didn't think he legs would make it through that. What the hell had gone on between Ryan and Marissa? She turned her eyes to the clock. Whoa…she'd completely skipped out on two full hours.

"You look tired, Charet."

She flipped onto her back and tried to jump off the bed.

He was to fast. He grabbed her around the waist and threw her to the floor. "Payments Due." Before she could move, he was using a strand from her curtains as a rope and binding her arms behind her back.

She opened her mouth to scream but he moved a bulky rag into it.

He laughed at her. "Well there's the scream. Now I just need to make you cry, bleed, and pay." He kneeled down in front of her and gave her that disturbing grin. He moved to the floor and pushed her down onto her back. "You look how shall I say this? Well, you look like a drowned rat. I didn't expect to get soaked. Well maybe by your blood." He got up and went into the bathroom, emerging with a fluffy white towel. And drapping it over her shoulders wipping her down. "Now that's a little better." He chucked the towel into the corner and advanced.

Charet would have had a hoarse voice in she had screamed outloud with the volume she was using in her head. Marissa! Marissa! Marissa please! She could hear her voice breaking and feel the trickle of water on her cheeks. For the love of….Ryan!!! The familiar baritone sopke up immediately. CHARET? Ryan get Ty! I don't care if you take over his body to get here! Just freaking get here!

Kirk lowered his body onto hers, pulling a switch blade out of his pocket and opening it. "I see you're already crying. Let's skip to the bleeding then." He moved the blade to her right arm and made a long cut.

Charet whinced and tried again to scream, this time in pain. Damnit! Ryan!!!! She couldn't handle this on her own.. There was no way. She tried to move away from him but he weighed to much.

He laughed at her pathetic attempts to escape. "Come on, Charet, try. Fight back." He slit her wrist diagonally and then smiled as he watched the blood run. "That had to hurt."

Charet was through with pleading. Now she was downright demanding. Marissa, get your lazy spirit self in touch with Ryan right now! There was no response. Please..Marissa! And then she heard the most pain filled scream she had ever heard. And it came from her.

Kirk looked up to her, his blade bloody and hovering just above her stomach. "Clearly that one hurt."

Charet could no longer see clearly; it was a complete haze. And her stomach was cold. Very cold.

Kirk sliced another wrist and then threw the knife onto the white towel. "Now to make you pay."

Ty was still staring at his ceiling when the urgent scream rocked his mind. Ryan!!!! Holy….what in the? Marissa? My gd….What's wrong? The only response he got was the same high pitched scream over and over. Marissa?????? Answer me! Then Ryan's urgent voice broke his thoughts. STOP RESISTING ME ! What are you talking about? YOUR ANGER. SUPRESS YOUR ANGER.! Ryan? What's going…. SHUT UP AND LET ME TAKE YOU OVER! NOW!!!! And he did….

"Aaahhh!!" Ty burst into the room and knocked Kirk off of a very unscious Charet. "You son of...I'll kill you!" He forced him across the room and directly out the open window, falling with him.

Kirk landed with a thud on the ground and tried to rise.

Ty was faster. He grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the nearby rose bush. Then started beating the very blood from his body. Wild kicks to his head, chest, stomach. Punches to his jaw, chin, and shoulders. This boy was not getting up again. Ever. He slammed his steel-toed boots into the boy's ribs and heard a satisfying crack. Good. Then he started in on his back, kicking till something snapped. Hopefully his spine. STOP! RYAN! LET IT GO! CHARET NEEDS TY! Marissa's desperate plea made his foot stop mid kick. And then his body was his again.

He raced back inside the house, up the stairs, and into her room dropping to the floor in a panting heap when he saw her. She was covered in blood. And so was the carpet around her. "Charet!" He rushed to get a towel and pressed down on the deep slash in her stomach. Ryan!! YES? You're a spirit.. Can you get me and Charet to a hospital in hyper speed? I…DON'T….KNOW.. Will you try! YES.

Very carefully, and wrapping her in towels, Ty picked Charet up and waited for Ryan to take him over.

Ten minutes later, Ty burst into the ER entrance screaming for medical attention. Nurses swarmed around him and took Charet from his arms. Reassuring him that we would do all they could to keep her going. And telling him he had to wait.

Wait? How could he just wait? His girlfriend. His love. Was possibly dieing in the OR as he paced around and kicked stuff with his boots. He couldn't just wait! She had to be ok! She had to! She..had…to…..! Shit now he was crying!

Ty slumped against the wall in defeat and bit his lip to keep from crying. It didn't work. The tears came hot, fast, and painful. It was all his fault. He hadn't let Ryan take him over. He hadn't listend. Charet was going to die because he'd been blinded by anger. He hated himself right now so much! He loved her and he'd failed! He'd sworn to protect her and he'd failed! He was worthless. He was trash. Not fit for living. She was dying in the next room and he couldn't even tell her goodbye!

Then Ryan's voice broke his thoughts. I FEEL LIKE I'M WATCHING MYSELF RIGHT NOW. THIS IS ME TWO YEARS AGO. EXACTLY THOUGHT FOR THOUGHT. TEAR FOR TEAR. RAGE FIT FOR RAGE FIT. BUT YOU HAVE A DIFFERENCE. CHARET IS STILL ALIVE, TY. STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP. BE STRONG FOR HER. BE THERE. AMOUNG IT ALL. JUST BE THERE. THAT'S WHAT SHE'LL REMEMBER MORE THAN ANYTHING. JUST BE THERE TILL THE END. LIKE I WAS.

Then Marissa's voice broke Ryan's thoughts. I'M SORRY, TY. There was so much pain in those three words, it sounded like she was biting back tears.

PAIN OF LOVE. PAIN OF LOVE. PAIN OF LOVE. PAIN OF LOVE. PAIN OF LOVE. PAIN OF LOVE… Then both voices faded away as Ty blacked out.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Hey….hey kid.."

Ty groaned and opened his eyes, putting a hand on his head. "Wha.." Then everything came back to him. The pool date. The rush to the hospital. Oh gawd. Charet! He looked up into the face of a man in a pair of green scrubs. "Is she ok?"

The man studied the boy quietly and crossed his hands in front of his kneeling form. "I don't know who she is, but I'm concerned about you."

"Charet. Charet Connors. She was admitted for severe bleeding.." Ty sat up from the dusty tile floor and turned pleading eyes onto the man. "Please..is she ok?"

"Hang on, kid." The man stood and walked away leaving a desperate Ty sitting on the waitingroom floor.

"You were exceptionally lucky to have gotten here so quick, young lady." Elsewhere, a smiling nurse addressed her patient as she took her vitals.

Charet laid on the upraised hospital bed in a daze. "Where's Ryan?"

"Ryan, Miss?" The nurse was staring at her awkwardly. "A boy named Ty brought you. Did you mean Ty, Miss?"

"No. Ryan. I ….." Then she went quiet. What was she doing asking for Ryan? Had the blood loss knocked her mind for a loop? Ryan wasn't going to come. He was in her head only. Annoyed with herself, she looked back to the nurse. "I'd like to see Ty please."

"Certainly, Miss." She finished checking her blood pressure and walked out, shutting the door on the way.

Charet looked around the room with wide eyes. Ok. Hospital definetly. But how? She felt stiff from her stomach up and lifted up the standard issue gown to see. There was layer upon layer of white bandaging all across her stomach. And it had bled through. She dropped her gown and turned her attention to her bandaged wrists. They also had the white stuff around them but they hadn't bled through yet. Good. She moved her arm across herself in an attempt to reach for the bed remote and a shot of electrifying pain rocked her body and made her whince. Then she noticed the heavily bandaged arm. Joy. She probably just broke stitches or something.

A light rap on the door made her look up. "Yes?"

"Charet?" A very releived Ty entered the room and engulfed her in a tight, but still loose hug. "Charet.." He didn't want to let her go. Ever. She'd survived.

"Ty, ease up would ya. I already feel like an Egyptain mummy here." She smiled at him. Ty was here. She didn't know why she had asked for Ryan. That still bothered her. But Ty was real. He could comfort her. Hold her. And she had every intention of taking advantage of that. After she could move freely again, that was.

"Sorry.." Ty pulled back a little and looked her over. The doctor had said they had to sew up her stomach, arm, and wrists so movement would be greatly restricted for several days. He saw the white bandages on her arm and wrists and felt his anger flare again. An image of the half dead boy flashed into his head and he smiled. Now he understood what Ryan had meant about the guy deserving ever hit he got. The guy deserved to be paralyzed for life. Or dead. Dead was better. More comforting somehow. He shifted his thoughts back to his girlfriend. "They said you get to come home in three to four days."

Charet wasn't listening. The memory of the attack had come back full force and in slow motion. She wanted to black it out. But it wasn't going anywhere. She knew that. This was something she'd remember for life. If she forgot it, then it could happen again. But if she thought about it from time to time, saw it in her head every once in a while, there was a better chance of being able to stop another like it in the future. Wasn't there? She sighed inwardly and looked at Ty. "I need to call Daddy. Let him know.." Let him know what? That she had been attacked and nearly killed in her own bedroom? No. That was a detail she couldn't disclose. Not ever. Her paranoid father would uproot them immediately. She'd have to leave Ty. And there was only one way she'd allow that to happen. Death. "Let him know I was assaulted by a random guy on the way home." Yeah..that was half truth, half lie. But it would work.

Ty nodded. "You want me to lie. I understand." He leaned against the railing that separated them. "I'll call in a few minutes. It's like 2am." Besides, he really didn't want to leave her just yet. Even if it was just five minutes. Carefully, he moved his head low and making sure not touch her with anything but his lips, he kissed her.

Charet eased into the kiss wanting to wrap her arms around him but not daring to because of the pain that would cause. Instead, she sort of leaned closer and took the hand leaning against the rail into her own. "I love you, Ryan.."

Ty wasn't sure he'd heard her right. But before he could ask, he found himself replying. "I love you, Marissa."

They just stared at each other in confused silence.

Trey pulled the small black cell phone from his pocket and dialed Forrester's number. "She hasn't been to school all day."

Forrester's voice came with a crackle of static. "She is in the hospital for a few days. Some idiot kid attacked her last night."

"So.. Does that mean …"

"It means nothing. You do your job. When she gets back to school. You will watch her." With that, the line went dead.

Trey pocketed the phone and looked around him in disbelief. This was what he had resorted to. A life of hiding and odd jobs for gangster like thugs. Here he was standing in the janitor's closet of Harbor pretending to be looking for the mop when in reality he was checking in with his real boss. About his real job. Leading a double life was for the superheroes, not the everyday street guy like himself.

Ryan had been right. He did mess everything up. Wanting to or not, he did. And now he was going to be doing deals and jobs for this guy the rest of his life. See and do things he'd have nightmares about for life. He shook his head and turned the knob on the door. Back to work.

The dimly lit corridor of the prison was all Kevin had seen for years. But today, today was his final day. He was being let out. And he was going back. He smiled at the cop as he was lead into a small room with a mesh grating in the wall.

The guard behind the grating looked up. "Volchok?"

Kevin nodded.

The guard pushed a box in front of him. "Your stuff. Well, aside from the drugs."

Kevin took the box and walked away from the grating. A year for substance abuse and a botched burglary. If they only knew what else he'd done. What all he had gotten away with.

The guard leading him, knealt down and undid his legs cuffs then the ones on his wrist. "Don't come back too soon ok." He stepped back with a smile.

"I'm never coming back." Kevin smiled. "Looks like you get to turn another kid's life around huh, Ranger Rick?" He dipped his head and walked out into the light of day.

Ty looked out the window from his position in the utterly uncomfortable orange cushioned chair next to Charet's hospital bed. She had been sleeping for hours now. The nurses kept saying go home. How could he explain that in his eyes he was home. She was his home.

He turned to look at her. She was still flat on her back, one hand curled against her stomach, the other up by her face which was tilted down, her hair falling to cover her closed eyes. She was absolutely beautiful. Pale. Frail. But still beautiful. Ryan's quiet tone interrupted his thoughts. SHE'S DREAMING. About? DEATH.

_Marissa laid broken in Ryan's arms. There was so much she wanted to say. Thank you. I miss you. I love you. But she could hardly breathe. Instead, she grasped his arm weakly. "Ry..Ryan..stay.." _

_Ryan took the stairs one at a time with slow, determined footing. He reached the second story and headed into the room. It was almost ready to be furnished now. The scaffoldings were gone. There was fresh paint on the walls. But the room was still bare. Bare of life. Bare of laughter. Bare of her. He felt empty inside as he moved to the center of the room._

_"Who are you?"_

_"Whoever you want me to be."_

_Ryan took the gun out of the waistband of his jeans._

_"I love you."_

_"Thank you."_

_He inserted the bullet.._

_"Thought you wanted to sleep."_

_"Suddenly not so tired."_

_He turned off the safety._

_"I'm sorry..for all the craziness."_

_"I wouldn't have done it any differently. Except maybe Oliver."_

_He raised his arm to his chest._

_"That night..did you ever think we would end up together?"_

_"You're saying it's over? You never know.."_

_He positioned the barrel over his chest,where his heart was._

_"You can write me a letter..or if they have email.."_

_"I'll find a way to stay in touch."_

_He took a final look around the room. "So will I, Marissa." And then he pulled the trigger._

Charet felt the blow as if it had been her. The bullet going straight into her heart and out her back. She cried out in pain.

Ty jumped from the chair to her side. "Charet?" He smoothed her hair away from her face and patted her cheek. "Charet?" Then he was distracted. Ryan's voice was in his head..only it wasn't speaking he was hearing. It was crying. And it was emotional. He tried to block it out and turned his attention back to Charet. "Hey.."

"Hey.." She opened her eyes and sat up. "I saw it. I..was there..I know how it happened…"

Ty took her hand. "What?"

"Ryan's death."

"You mean his suicide.."

She nodded wordlessly as he hugged her.

At Harbor, Caitlyn sat outside Dr. Kim's office in a slightly worried wait. Had she been caught? Which thing had she been caught doing? The statue? The impromptu pizza delivery to the school after she heard Sara's brother was the delivery boy? The door opened to take her away from her thoughts and she looked up.

Dr. Kim smiled down at her and ushered inside the office. "Caitlyn…."

Here it comes, she thought listening. "Dr. Kim?"

"We received a call this afternoon concerning Ms. Connors."

Caitlyn looked up. "Yes…"

"I'll need you to take her missed assignments to the hospital for her. You two have three of the classes and I'm sure you don't mind stepping into the others and getting those assignments as well." Dr. Kim rests clasped hands on her desk.

"Yes Ma'am. But, if I can ask..why is Charet in the hospital?"

"She was attacked last night by some disturbing character on the way home."

Instantly, an image of creepy janitor flased into her head. Had he? No. Couldn't have been…could it? Wouldn't he have been carted of by the cops by now? She smiled at the principal. "I'll be glad to, Dr. Kim." And then she left the office.

As she rounded a corner, she bumped into someone a lot taller.

"Sorry kiddo.." The voice was young and male.

"It's ok.. I.." When she lifted her head, Caitlyn's eyes met those of the creepy janitor. "I..sorry." She sidestepped him quickly and headed down the hall back to class.

Trey watched the girl run away and he couldn't help but feel like he knew her. He'd never seen her before. Never spoke to her. But still..there was something familiar for sure. He spun around and put his hand down on the shoulder of a passing boy. "Who's that girl?"

The short red headed boy blinked in the direction Trey pointed and smiled. "That's Caitlyn. She's one of the hottest girls here. All the guys are talking about how.."

Trey cut him off. "What's her last name?"

The boy seemed surprised a minute then shrugged. "Cooper. Caitlyn Cooper."

Trey felt his head spin, and this time it wasn't from drugs, and released the boy. "T..Th.ank..s..kiddo."

The boy nodded and continued down the hall.

Trey leaned against the wall in shock and in an effort to stop his whirling head. Caitlyn Cooper. Cooper. Marissa had a sister. It had to be the reson for the familiar feeling he'd gotten from touching her. She looked a little like Marissa. But then, she had her own beauty as well. He closed his eyes. Forrester should have told him a little Cooper went to school here!

He banged his head back against the wall in annoyance.

"You have to eat ok." Ty sat beside Charet's hospital bed holding a spoonful of soup close to her mouth.

"Not with you feeding me like a baby." Charet shook her head.

"But the doctor said you were to take it easy with the upper body movements." He sighed.

"I don't care.." She looked from the spoon to him and back again.

"Ok..what if I feed you a different way?" He set the spoon down inside the slightly cooled bowl of chicken noodle soup.

She stared at him a little worried. "How…"

He tipped the bowl up to his mouth and took a swallow, then moved his head down and kissed her, sliding both his tongue and the soup into her mouth. When he pulled back she swallowed and stared at him.

"I feel so much better now.. I went from baby… to hatched bird.." She took his hand. "But it was kinda cool…"

He laughed and drank more soup into his mouth, bending down to kiss her again. After a few attempts, she held up her hand. He pulled back and set the bowl down.

"I'm hungry for something else now.." She smiled at him.

A flicker of amusment danced in his eyes. "Really now..whatever might that be?"

"You."

"I think I can help you there.." He pushed the rolling tray away from the bed and let down the railing that separated him and her. Then lifted his body onto the bed, leaning down and kissing her slowly.

She curled her fingers into the collar of his shirt and pulled him lower.

"No..I don't want to hurt you.." He resisted her pull, but continued kissing her, his back curled forward and his lower half in a sitting position on the edge of the hospital bed. He ran a hand through her hair and kissed her neck lightly. "Still hungry?"

She smiled and kissed him back. "For you or for soup?"

"Me." He moved his mouth onto her collarbone and up her neck in slow pulsating kisses.

"Always.." She answered him breathily as his touch started messing with her head. Or was that the pain meds?

"Let's see if we can't satisfy that appitite then.." He began lightly sucking on her lower lip as he kissed her. He wanted to be able to run his hands across her body but she was still recovering so he held back. Kissing her like this… not being able to touch her except with his mouth.. It was strangely invigorating. As if, suddenly, she was that much more precious in his eyes and he didn't want to touch her for she'd fade away into the white sheets she laid on.

"Ehhhemm."

Charet and Ty snapped their heads in the direction of the door and groaned. There stood the doctor looking not to pleased with what he was witnessing.

Ty moved off her and addressed the gray haired, blue eyed man. "I..sorry.."

The doctor shook his head. "Save it. While I understand the need to expression your passions. I must reinterate that Ms. Connors has a very sore, newly stitched up stomach and that any weight of higher than a pound resting on that area could very well hurt her an exceptional lot more."

Charet pushed the button on her remote to raise the upper half of the bed. "How about if we did it like this?" She leaned against the upraised cushion in her sitting position.

The doctor shook his head, a smile playing across his lips. "You aren't going to give this up are you?"

"Not a chance." She smiled at the man.

"Alright. Sitting up only. And no pressing into her." He was smiling at his patient but his words were drawn out and demanding, his eyes casting looks at the boy. "Understood? If I come back in here and you're weighing her down I'll kick you out till tomorrow. She needs to recouperate."

Ty nodded. "Got it."

The doctor left, shutting the door with a little laugh.

Charet turned her attention back to Ty. "Where were we?"

"Here.." He moved to kiss her again.

The late afternoon approached as Kevin made his way between the various sized plots and newly marked graves in the cemetery. The Sun was beginning to go down now and there was light breeze rustling the leaves of the few trees in the area. He didn't know where he was going. He just knew she was buried here.

He walked for several more yards, his head bent low as he read the names of the stones. Then, out of the corner of his eye..there it was. The small gravestone was washed granite and sat to his left a few rows in front of him. He could make out the word Cooper so there was a chance it was hers.

He made it to the plot and kneeled down, running his hand across the chiseled words.

Marissa Cooper

1988-2006

Beloved Daughter

Beloved Friend

He pulled his hand back and shook his head. This was his doing. She was gone because of him. Unbidden, memories of that night came back to him.

_He watched her get into the car with that boy. Ryan.. Always causing him problems. He took a swig from his beer and started the engine. This wasn't over._

_The girl beside him shook her head. "So are we done stalking rich kids?"_

_He took another swig._

_She looked him over worriedly. "Maybe I should drive?"_

_He pulled out into the traffic. "No."_

_He watched as Ryan's car flipped down the embankment and landed onto the other road. What had he done? Marissa….Oh gd.. He shook, his hands clenched on the steering wheel. He had to get out of here! He gunned the engine and took off. He couldn't face this. He wouldn't._

_Local Teen dies in devastating crash. He listened to the news report from his hotel room in Mexico. "A girl is dead tonight after her ex-boyfriend ran her and her friend, the driver, off the road. The couple were on their way to the ariport when the ex-boyfriend began bashing into the side of their car demanding them to pull over so he could speak to the girl inside. The driver refused and the car was slammed into several more times, finally causing it to jump the upcoming curve in the road and flip several times down a steep embankment. The car landed on it's hood and the boy kicked out a window to get both himself and the unconscious girl out of the now smoldering car. We are told that he carried her away from the crash just as it blew up behind him. The boy survived, while the girl died in his arms just before paramedics arrived. She was pronounced dead at the scene and the boy was taken to the local hospital for minor injuries."_

Kevin stood up as the memories faded away. He shouldn't even be here. What was he thinking? He cast a final look toward the grave and walked away.

Ty sat in the uncomfortable orange cushioned chair. His thoughts running wild with what charet could possibly had seen in her dream to shake her so. Without bidding, Ryan spoke up. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT AS WELL? Umm..ok. Am I going to regret this though? I DON'T KNOW. Alright.. Play away. The memory came like that sending him deep into the past. Another boy's past.

_Ryan took the stairs one at a time with slow, determined footing. He reached the second story and headed into the room. It was almost ready to be furnished now. The scaffoldings were gone. There was fresh paint on the walls. But the room was still bare. Bare of life. Bare of laughter. Bare of her. He felt empty inside as he moved to the center of the room._

_"Who are you?"_

_"Whoever you want me to be."_

_Ryan took the gun out of the waistband of his jeans._

_"I love you."_

_"Thank you."_

_He inserted the bullet.._

_"Thought you wanted to sleep."_

_"Suddenly not so tired."_

_He turned off the safety._

_"I'm sorry..for all the craziness."_

_"I wouldn't have done it any differently. Except maybe Oliver."_

_He raised his arm to his chest._

_"That night..did you ever think we would end up together?"_

_"You're saying it's over? You never know.."_

_He positioned the barrel over his chest,where his heart was._

_"You can write me a letter..or if they have email.."_

_"I'll find a way to stay in touch."_

_He took a final look around the room. "So will I, Marissa." And then he pulled the trigger._

Ty fell back into the chair as if he'd been the one meant for the bullet. He opened his eyes slowly to the florescent lighting and shook his head. Whoa…. I KNOW. THINK ABOUT HOW HARD IT WAS TO GO THROUGH FIRST HAND. There was a catch in his voice. I'm sorry, Ryan. For everything you ever had to deal with. And for the cruelty of losing Marissa. I DIDN'T LOSE HER. THANKS TO YOU AND CHARET. I mean…for when she was killed.. I KNEW I'D SEE HER AGAIN. I COULD STILL HEAR HER CALLING MY NAME AS I WALKED AROUND HARBOR. I FELT HER PRESENCE IN THE POOLHOUSE. I WENT AND SAT AT OUR BOOTH IN THE DINER BECAUSE I COULD STILL IMAGINE HER SITTING THERE AND SMILING. THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO REMIND ME OF HER EXISTENCE. AND THEN I DECIDED I'D RATHER BE WITH HER THAN WITHOUT HER. So..you..killed..yourself.. I WENT TO HER. I see.

Charet moaned in sleep and tried to turn over onto her side.

Ty got up from the chair and moved her back onto her back. She looked so fragile right now. Like a crushed flower with petals hanging limp but the aroma of the bud to coat the air as a reminder of what it once was and might be again. He smoothed her hair from her face and smiled, kissing her forehead. "I love you.."

RYAN. He laughed, hey Marissa. HEY, TY. RYAN? Ryan's soft baritone voice had a lilt to it when he responded. MARISSA… YEAH. Her soft voice softened more. I LOVE YOU. He smiled, settling back into the chair and listening to the lovers. I LOVE YOU TOO,MARISSA. There was silence for a few minutes and then like a wave he was being carried back into the past.

_Ryan lead Marissa along the beach, his hands covering her eyes._

_Marissa giggled. "I'm peeking."_

_Ryan shook his head and kept her eyes covered. "No you're not."_

_Marissa laughed. "Yes I am..I can see.."_

_Ryan stopped in front of a tiki torch. "No.."_

_Marissa pouted. "This is silly. Where are we?"_

_Ryan removed his hands from her eyes._

_Marissa looked around in shock. "Whoa… you did all this?" She stared at the beautiful scene in front of her. A large, red velvet looking hut was put up with tiki torches leading to the entrance._

_Ryan smiled."I had some help..but..uh..do you like it.._

_Marissa looked back at him. "Yeah I like it." She moved closer to him. "You wanna know how much?" She headed into the hut._

_Ryan follwed her._

_They started making out intenseness and then she bolted. "Wait.. Stop..I can't do this.. I have to go.."_

_Ryan laid there expressionless._

_After a few seconds, Marissa popped her head back into the hut. "What? You weren't even gonna try and stop me?_

_Ryan stood up. "oohh.."_

_Marissa looked at him. "What?"_

_Ryan grabbed her in a hug and swung his body around so that she was facing the door and he had his back to it, his eyes on her. "You are so not funny.."_

_Marissa smiled. "I'm kinda funny.."_

_They fell into a kiss._

_Ryan pulled back breathing heavy. "So..you're sure you want to do this. Cause..we've done a lot..not this.." He looked at her. "You know it's gonna make it that much harder for you at leave.."_

_Marissa nodded. "I know.."_

_They rested their foreheads against one anothers and then Marissa started unbuttoning her top._

_Ryan discarded his shirt, leaving only his wife beater._

_They began kissing again._

Whoa! Wait a minute! He shook his head. I don't want to see the rest of this. Ryan's laughter echoed throughout his head. SORRY. WE GOT CARRIED AWAY. Then Marissa's light giggle came. YEAH..SORRY. THIS WAS JUST OUR FIRST.. He chuckled. Your first time. Marissa finished his thought. I WAS NEVER REALLY READY FOR IT. TO MUCH HAPPENED IN BETWEEN. He was about to say something when an image came to his mind.

_A man was laying onto of Marissa as she struggled to get free. He was pawing her and whispering "No one has to know.."_

Ryan's voice darkened. HE SAID THAT. Marissa responded slowly. AMOUNG OTHER THINGS. He cut in before either could speak. The guy seemed to familiar. Who was that? The response came simultaneously. TREY. Then Ryan asked the one thing Ty did not want to answer. WHY DO YOU ASK? YOU SOUND AS THOUGH HE SEEMS FAMILIAR TO YOU. He sighed. He's Harbor's new janitor. And he's got a thing for Charet. The thunderous volume of the word to follow was so intense it gave him an instant headache. WHAT!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

YOU HAVE TO KEEP HIM AWAY FROM CHARET! DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK ON HIM FOR A SECOND! TREY IS MESSED UP! HE USED TO DO DRUGS..PROBABLY STILL DOES. KEEP CHARET AWAY. AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT…KEEP ME AWAY TOO. Whoa….you really harbor some hatred toward your brother huh? HE TRIED TO RAPE MARISSA!!! The venom in Ryan's tone was starting to worry him. Calm down. Ok. There was a cold silence. WHEN YOU MENTION TREY, THIS IS AS CALM AS YOU'RE EVER GOING TO GET FROM ME. Fair enough. I conceed. He held up his hands.

"Ryan…Ry..Ryan.." Charet called the name out as she slept.

Ty blinked. Ok. Explain that please. I..UH..CAN'T. Right. Ryan, why is my girlfriend calling your name? I DON'T KNOW. He thought a second. Could Marissa be dreaming? POSSIBLY. Hmmm..

"Ryan..Ry..an..Ryan!" Charet woke with a start, looking around the room in confusion. "Ryan…"

Ty shook his head and took her hand. "Charet…"

Charet's blue-green eyes stared back at him. "You're a lot cuter than I'd have thought."

Ty sat, stunned. "Marissa?"

Charet nodded.

"How?"

She shrugged. "I guess we can make you guys do what we want when you're asleep if we bother your subconscious enough. This a problem?"

He sat back. "No. Just really weird. But then, I guess this is what Charet felt when she and Ryan talked."

"Guess so." She smiled at him. "You know..you look a lot like Ryan. So in a way… if I kissed you.."

DON'T YOU DARE. He laughed. She's messing with you, Ryan. STILL..

She watched him and laughed. "He got aggressive huh?"

"Just a bit." Ty smiled at her, leaning father back into the chair,his arms dangling off the armrests.

"He's cute when he gets possessive."

SHE IS GOING TO GET IT. TY, SWITCH OUT. Can I do it later? I've never really talked to Marissa. OK. Thanks. I mean.. here I'm having these erotic dreams about.. MY DREAMS. I'm kidding. Geeze, Ryan. YOU'RE SO NOT FUNNY. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF I WAS INTO CHARET? Ok. I get your point. Sorry. IT'S OK. AND BY THE WAY.. Yeah? I HAPPEN TO THINK CHARET IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE GIRL. Ok. Now you're scaring me… There was no response.

Ty studied Charet a few minutes. "So.. Uh.. Um..Marissa.."

"Yeah?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea what to talk about."

She tapped her fingernails against the railing. "Hmm..ok. Got any questions? About us? Maybe you'd like to know what Charet is thinking?"

He straightened. "A couple and what is she thinking?"

"She's remembering the good time you two had in the pool. Now.. What were those questions?" She stared at him.

"Ok…" He put his hands on his knees. "Here's one. When did you fist realize you loved, or at least entertained feelings toward Ryan?"

"The night I slept with Luke."

He raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

She sighed with dramatic slowness. "I was at the Cohen's for a party. I went to find ryan in the poolhouse. I walked in on him and this twenty something making out. In a rash decsion, and to get back at Ryan for hurting me so much, I told Luke I wanted to leave..we went to his place and after intense making out..we went all the way. I was crying the whole time. I told him it was from the pain…I lied."

PLEASE..LET ME TAKE YOU OVER NOW.. The pleading tone won him over. You didn't know this did you? NO. Ok. But no more…WE WON'T. I PROMISE.

Ryan looked at Marissa, pulling her to him. "Marissa.. I felt so sick seeing you later that night..all sweaty and disheveled. I knew. But..I.." He stared at her in an awestruck fashion. "To get back at me?"

Marissa looked up, tears running down her cheeks. "I was…confused…angry…and hurt.."

Ryan smoothed Marissa's hair as she cried on his shoulder. "Shhh…I get it.."

Marissa hugged him to her. "I wanted it to be you..that's why I.."

Ryan tilted up her chin. "Why you came to find me in the model home and then in the poolhouse?"

Marissa nodded wordlessly.

Ryan had wondered that several times. It was nice to know finally, that he had been right. He pressed his lips to hers in an open mouth kiss, lightly sucking on her tongue as he pulled her closer to him. His hands found her sides and rested there happily. He wanted so much more. But he'd promised Ty. He twisted his tongue over hers in an effort to create a heat reaction from the friction.

Marissa's eyes widened a little as her mouth instantly got hotter by a few degrees. What was that? She liked it. A lot. She moved her hands over his shoulders and down his stomach. She missed him. Her hands went for his pants.

Ryan haulted the kiss, pulling away. "Marissa. We can't. I promised Ty."

She let her hands drop. "Ok."

He stared at her. "Ok? You're giving up so easy? That's not you."

She turned her face up to his. "You're teasing me!" She slapped his arm.

He laughed, catching her hand and kissing her fingertips. "I did promise Ty."

She nodded. "Another time."

He kissed her again. "You can count on it."

Kirk opened his eyes..or eye. Apparently one was swollen shut. Where was he anyway? He looked around as best he could. Everything was white. White walls. White floors. White sheets. And there was a weird smell hanging in the air. He could hear distant voices echoing off the white walls all around him. Then it hit him. He was in the hospital. But how?

Then, a rather pretty stawberryblond lady was leaning over him, her wide, worried green eyes fixed on his person. "You woke. I'm so glad. We were worried you would be out for a while."

Awhile? Hmmm.. He gave the woman his most charming smile and spoke with a silky, smooth tone. "Your concern touches me deeply, sweet lady. If I may ask, how did I end up here?" He saw her smile even more and knew for sure that this meek as a kitten act was scoring big.

"A jogger found you heavily beaten, laying half under a bush somewhere. Worried for your life, he brought you in." She nodded as she spoke, lightly prodding his arms and legs checking on his muscels for undetected but still possible never damage. The boy had got hit pretty freaking hard. A lot.

He smiled warmly, keeping up appearances. "I don't even remember…I just remember talking to some girl and then her possessive ex-boyfriend was threatening me with a broken tree branch or something.."

The nurse shook her head. "Boys like that should be locked away. A woman has a right to decide if she is not happy and act on that descision. A man shouldn't treat her as if he owns her.." Annoyed, she trailed off.

He nodded in pretend agreement. "A woman is not property."

She smiled. "Someone taught you well." She checked the clock on the wall and turned to leave. "I'm Becky by the way.. Your day nurse. Press the button if you need anything."

He smiled as she walked out, shutting the door. Now he was alone. Now he could concentrate on figuring out his next move. She was alive, he knew it. Maybe she was in this very hospital…maybe he'd pay her a visit..maybe he'd….

Trey sucked the white powder up his nose and sat back on the couch of his kinda nice apartment. Marissa's image wouldn't leave him alone. Her brown hair kissed by the sun. Those large, innocent blue eyes. Her trim figure. That awkwardness that made her so childlike and adult at the same time. He could easily see why Ry had been all over this girl. She was a giant scream from anything they'd find in living in Chino. Even Theresa was homely compared to Marissa Cooper. He shook his head and prepared to snort more.

Today's events had been to much to handle. A mini Cooper? And one who seemed so much like the original? This was bad news. He'd blow his cover just trying to keep away from her. And away was where he had to stay. It was bad enough he was supposed to watch one hot girl as a job. Now he was drawn to another. If he didn't watch himself, he was gonna get fired.

He snorted again. And what about his job? That was trouble already. Sure he was being paid to watch the girl, but obsess over her? That was something neither of them had expected. And it was what he couldn't stop doing. All day and all night. She was in his head. In his dreams. And in front of his leering eyes. Some men would call him lucky, he preferred screwed.

He snorted again. Come on. Knock this girl out of my head!

Caitlyn stared at the bundle of books and papers in her arms as she waited for the man sitting at the nurses' station to notice her. He was a lot older, but he had a strong build with blond hair and bright blue eyes. Kinda hot, actually. She smiled at him. "Excuse me..I'm looking for a patient.."

The man nodded. "Name?"

"Uh..Charet Connors." She shifted from one foot the other trying to keep the load of books from hitting the floor.

"Room 482. Take a right once you get to the end of this hall and then go four doors down." He went back to reading whatever it was he had been reading before interrupted.

She nodded and headed down the hall. She should have thought to throw this stuff in her book bag to lug it here. She was a turn and a couple yards away from her destination when she slammed into the broad chest of a patient. The books hit the floor with a smack and a clatter. Crap. She scrambled to pile everything back together, muttering a sorry to whomever she had knocked into.

"Don't even consider an apology. You had your hands full." The easy tone caught her off guard.

She looked up and into the most mezmorizing blue eyes she had ever encountered and they were attached to a very hot brunette about her age. She smiled, a bit flustered. "I..uh..yeah."

The boy laughed. "Articulation isn't a strong suit huh?" He got to his knees and helped her to construct a tower of the slightly dirty books and papers.

She was speechless. He was hot and caring and funny. Today was so her lucky day. "I'm Caitlyn..thanks for the help."

He nodded, taking her hand and kissing it. "I'm Kirk and the pleasure is all mine."

Ty burrowed his face into Charet's neck as his lips touched the area of her neck softly. "This would be better if you were well and we were in the poolhouse.." He kissed her again.

Charet gave a half nod. "Mmm…but let's work with what we've got.."

He chuckled, the heated breath tickling the tiny hairs along her skin. "Well..I've got you.. You've got me.. And we've got a private room with a bed…"

She turned gaze to him, both surprise and ashtonishment in her eyes. "Ty…"

He cut her off, covering her mouth with his own and rubbing his tongue against the underside of hers. Unable to stop them, his hands moved to her sides as he felt his body falling onto hers. Her doctor was going to have a hissy fit if he walked in.

Charet reached for the remote and pressed the lower button causing the bed to go back to it's horizontal position. She knew what Ty was thinking and honestly, she didn't care if they did get in trouble with the doctor. She only wanted this…right..here…right now.

Ty smiled as the bed moved down, her way of saying forget about the dn doctor's worry and focus on me, and moved his body over hers on the small hospital mattress. So what if they were in a hospital? All he wanted was her..right..here..right …now. He allowed his hands to move across her body, resting on her breasts as he tilted his head to the side and sucked on her tongue to deepen their kiss.

"Should uhm..come back another time?" Caitlyn stood in the doorway with a load of books and a grin.

Charet was the first to find her voice. "Uh..Hey, Caitlyn ..what's with the extra weight?" She smiled at her friend.

Caitlyn chuckled as she set the books down on the orange cushioned chair by the little bed. "You school work. Hey, Ty."

Ty nodded, unashamed of what this probably looked like. "You think you could..uh.."

Caitlyn smiled. "Keep your nurse a bit busy? Sure." She walked out, shutting the door.

Charet laughed. "School work..hmm..let's see.. Work on learning or work on you…" She went back to kissing him.

He laughed lightly at her comment, his mouth moving down her throat, his hands finding their way under the ugly hospiatal gown and slowly riding up her bandaged stomach. Then something stopped him. They couldn't do this yet. She had to know first. "Charet…"

She looked at him, wondering why he had stopped and his tone was serious. "Y.yes..Ty.."

"I think we should wait." Ok. He couldn't tell her. He'd make Ryan or Marissa do it instead.

"Why.." Had she done something?

What reason was he going to give her? And then very subtely, Ryan answered for him. Or at least, Ryan had said it before and he borrowed it now. "We can do better."

"Alright.." She smiled at him. "But I still want those mind stealing kisses.."

"That I can do.." He moved his hands out from under her gown and moved his mouth back onto hers.

"Why can't you just let it be, Baby?" Steven asked irritably from the passanger side of Jennifer's Range Rover. "She hates you right now cause'a what I told 'er."

Jennifer turned ice blue eyes onto him. "You made her hate me. Those were all your words, Steven. Not mine."

"Look, Baby, she had to know." He checked his hair in the mirror, before flipping it back up.

"Not like that!" Her outburst echoed off the leather interior of the car. "She was never supposed to know about you! Dave and I promised!"

"Why not?" His voiced had darkened.

She sucked in her breath, this was on conversation she really did not want to have. "Because …I didn't want her to know I was unsure about her conception…." She let the sentence hang in the air.

Steven grabbed her wrist, making her look at him. "Are you telling me that she could be my daughter!"

Jennifer bit back both a gasp and a sob. "Yes.."

"Why don't you know for sure?" He realized how strong the hold was and released her wrist.

"We did a conception test. She was made on March 8th." Her voice shook with sobs.

He knew that date. It stuck out like a fat person in a crowd of thin people. It was the day she had said I do to Dave and I don't to him. It was her wedding anniversary. And it was the night three years later when she had come to him instead when Dave had pressing business in Baltimore he couldn't get out of. It was also the night Dave had found out about his father's passing. She had left him, jumped the next plane to Baltimore and spent the rest of the night with her husband. Oh gawd. This kid could really be his. He cleared his throat. "Baby,..I.."

"Don't. Steven, just don't." She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the steering wheel.

**Four Days Later**

Ty stood in the outdoor aisle of the Sporting Goods section with a confused look on his face. This was too hard. He didn't know anything about camping. How was he supposed to pick out a tent? This was hopeless. He needed help. Hey, Ryan! This is your idea here so how about a little support! The familiar baritone voice laughed before responding. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TENTS EITHER. I HAD HELP WITH MINE, REMEMBER. AND TECHINALLY, IT WASN'T A TENT. IT WAS A LARGE CLOTH HUT. You are so not helping me right now. SORRY. After a silence of five minutes, during which he continued to stare aimlessly at the wall of plastic covers hanging from pegs, Ryan spoke again. SUMMER AND SETH BORROWED IT FROM THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT….MAYBE YOU COULD TOO. You mean borrow as another meaning for steal, don't you? NO. BORROW. USE IT ONE NIGHT RETURN IT THE NEXT MORNING. BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S STILL THERE. I'd rather find out than stare at this mass of plastic all day. SO LOOK TOMORROW. I will. He headed out of the store.

Jennifer, leaned forward in her seat, intent on the words coming out this woman's mouth.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Connors. But without DNA from both potential fathers and the child, I can not tell you which one is the father." The woman shut the floder and looked up. "If you decide to do the testing I will gladly assist you."

"No. Thanks.." She stood up and exited the office, her spirits at an all time low. Maybe this was her fault, but if Steven hadn't acted so rashly she wouldn't be having this problem! She slammed the door of her Range Rover and buckled her seatbelt. She could run him over, she was so ped right now!

Dave knocked lightly on the door to his daughter's hospital room. He had come to see her everyday so far and each time she had been knocked out with pain meds. But Ty had been when he couldn't be. So at least she was getting some comfort.

"Come on in." Charet's voice called from the side of the door.

He pushed it inward and stepped inside the small room. She was sitting up in the bed eating her afternoon meal, a book propped open on her knee. "Hey, Sweetie." She looked a lot better. Her color was back and her weakness was gone. His silent, strong, if you mess with me I'll kick you're a daughter was back in good health. "It's about time you're awake while I'm here." He crossed over to her bed.

Charet smiled at her dad. "They took me way down on the meds. I was getting pretty ticked off that I never got to see you."

"Yeah, I know. You miss me like a flower misses the Sun." He patted her head.

"Like the fish misses the water." She grinned and dug her spork back into the green mess on her plate. It was supposed to be mixed greens, but it was tasting more like leather and shoe polish mixed with green food coloring.

"Like the…" He couldn't come up with another one. "You always get me with this game." He smiled at her.

"That's why I like playing it." She set the spork down and pushed her tray away. "You gonna hug your little girl or what?"

He enveloped her into a strong hug, kissing her cheek. "I was so worried about you. With your mom, and then this.. Honey, are you ok? Mentally I mean?"

She laughed. "Yeah..you know me.. Nothing burns but everything sticks."

He released her from the hug and chucked her under the chin. "That's my girl. How's the school work load coming?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh so fun."

He smiled, laughing for the first time in days. "Why is it that whenever you're down you always cheer me up?"

She shrugged. "Got mad skills, Dawg."

He busted out laughing.

And so did the nurse who had just come in.

"You're adorable." The woman recovered herself and wheeled the blood pressure machine over to the bed. "This the dad?"

Dave nodded, having regained his composure. "Dave Connors. You?"

The woman smiled as she fitted the arm cuff over Charet's forearm. "Swear you won't laugh…" She stared at her patient in warning.

He held up his hand in the boy scout manner. "I swear."

The woman sighed and checked the gir's blood pressure marking it on her chart. "Randy."

Both the father and daughter couldn't stop laughing.

"So.. Why were you in the hospital?" Caitlyn asked, absently starring at Kirk's pants as he sat in front of her.

He noticed but didn't really care. If she was that obvious about it, maybe she would help him out with it later. "Got beat up by some random thugs." He gave her that same charming smile and watched her melt into every word of his lies. He definetly had to have some fun with her later. After he'd dealt with Charet.

"Aww.." She bit into her burger and chewed slowly. This boy was seriously getting to her.

"Eh. Don't waste your time worrying about old Kirk. I always bounce back." He finished off his burger and chugged some Coke. And then I hit back.

Steven stood outside the entrance to the hospital lobby. He'd wrestled with his conscience for three days now and still he knew what he had to do. He had to tell the girl that he could possibly be her dad and he ahd to apologize for the st he'd said earlier. If she did turn out to be his daughter, well.. He had to be a little bit more civil..didn't he? He walked into the hospital lobby with heavy steps, and it wasn't from his steeltoed boots.

"So where have you been?" Charet asked when Ty walked through the door to her hospital room a few minutes after her dad had come and gone.

"I thought I'd let you and your dad be for a little bit." He kissed her softly, his lips lingering on hers.

"You were missed." She pouted.

"Aww..I'm sorry.." He hugged her to him, kissing her forehead. "Has your mother been by?"

Charet blinked. What made him ask that? Had he seen her here? "Why? Was she in the hall?"

"No. Just me being curious." He smiled at her. "You seem tense."

"A bit.." She nodded.

"Let me see what I can do..Turn your back a little towards me. Don't hurt yourself though." He dictated as she moved into the position he'd requested. "Good." He rested his hands on her shoulders, then began moving his thumbs in circles around the nape of her neck, through her hair. He moved his hands a little so that they were pushing her shoulder blades together and apart as they rolled the skin in a slow, tension releasing circle while his thumbs still worked on her neck. Hid hands dropped to her lower back, just at her tailbone and he did the same thing again. Then he slowly brought his hands back up her back maintaining the same movements.

"Mmmmmmm…" She leaned into his hands and sighed deeply in pleasure. "You're gonna spoil me now.."

He laughed. "I'll give you a massage anywhere any time you want, beautiful." He ran his hands down her back, fingers spread out, and then up her back four times in slow sucession.

"mmmmmmm….be forewarned, I'll take you up on that offer everyday, handsome." She emitted a slight moan and could feel her tension dissolving at his touch.

"Works for me.." He kissed her neck. "Cause then I get to put my hands all over you any time I want.."

She laughed. "I knew there was something in it for you too."

"Oh, yeah.." He began to lightly suck on her throat, his head bent over her shoulder, his hands still working on her back. "You.."

Her response was barely audible, but it was there as the sensation of his touch and the relaxing of her body coupled with the recently given pain meds lulled her into a slumber like state. "Works for me.."

Kevin stared out his car window at the trailer. Did Julie still live there now? Was Marissa's little sister still hanging around Newport? He had to know. For better, but more likely, or for worse. He had to know. He stepped out the car and walked to the trailer's porch. "Anyone home?"

Before he could back out, a balding man with a beerbelly answered, his alcohol clouded eyes staring without recognition. "I knows..yere?"

Kevin shook his head. "Nah.. Friend of mine…used to live here.."

The man nodded. "If yere's a looking fer a place to hang yere boots..I'm a rentin.."

Kevin steeled his nerves a minute. Could he do that? Could he really live in the same place as Marissa had? Maybe even her old room? Why the hl not? But had to know one thing first. "Who lived here before you? And when did you get the trailer?"

The man rubbed his chin a second. "About ..ere..week ago..or..so.." He took a sip from a beer can he had apparently been holding just inside the door. "An in answere..to yer otha question..Some lady fancied herself a princess.. Cooper-Nichol I believe.."

Kevin smiled. "I'll take that room, thanks."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

These events take place one week after ch.7

"I don't think you should believe him." Ty said from his relaxed position on the pool float. He watched her float beside him on that small lounge raft, in that dark blue one piece bathing suit and wondered why she didn't wear a bikini like all the other girls. But then, she wasn't anything like all the other Newport girls. And he was fine with that.

"I keep thinking maybe I should. I mean.. after what she did to Daddy…" Charet's voice trailed off as thoughts of that weird hospital visit came back to her. Steven being her biological father was a scary thought. And she didn't even look like him anyway. But still, there was something in her head saying it was very likely he was being truthful. And that freaked her out.

"…Was thinking you and I could go to the beach tomorrow night." Ty finished, waiting for a response. She didn't even look like she had heard him. "Charet?" He waved a wet hand in her face sprinkling water droplets onto her cheeks.

"Hey!" She laughed, splashing him back.

"Welcome back to Earth." He chuckled, splashing her again. "Now how about an answer?"

Charet bit her lip. What had he asked her? She'd been so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't heard the question. "Ask again."

He shook his head. "Do you mind if we go to the beach tomorrow night?"

"Why not tonight?" She tilted her head, causing her hair to fall into her eyes.

"Because.." He leaned over and tucked it back behind her ear. "..I've got something to do tonight."

She smiled at the gesture. "Fair enough. Friday at the beach it is."

He leaned forward again and kissed her. "Ok."

Kevin slouched against the ugly, dusty, loathsome smelling couch he now shared with his roomate, Grant. He'd spent the night on the bed he and Marissa had shared that time she first came to him. Memories had bounced around in his head all night, disabling his sleep pattern.

The sight of her casting off her shirt. That smooth, flat stomach. Those heavy, sloppy kisses. Her body…oh…her..body. He wished to have her now. Move his hands down her back. Over her shoulders. He shook his head. Better to stop thinking about something that can't be realized. He chugged from the beer bottle in his hand and closed his eyes. Think of something else, anything else.

"You're quite the unexpected.." Kirk whispered into the fabric of Caitlyn's white button-down shirt, his hands tracing the button he'd just undone.

"You have no idea.." Caitlyn smiled, a lit joint in her hand, and moved her hands across his shirtless chest.

"Wish to show me?" His voice was husky, his eyes bright.

"I think I can manage that." She dropped the joint, wrapping her arms around his neck and throwing her legs around his waist.

Wow. This girl really was unexpected. A far cry from Charet. Oh Charet. Other girls were nice as a distraction, but he wanted only one. And he wanted her bad. It consumed him with venom to think she had passed on his offer so many times. She would regret it. If she thought his last visit was bad, wait till he took from her what he really wanted. He smiled at the girl clinging to him. She'd do for now. Or maybe he aught to play the gentlemanly role just a little bit longer.

"I'm not sure you're ready for this, Caitlyn. You're high and drunk. I don't want to take of advantage of that." Yeah, he smiled, that was perfect.

"Seriously?" She stared at him in shock.

"Absolutely." He moved his hands away from her body to show his resolve.

"So we have to wait till like tomorrow when I'm sober?" She slid her legs back down to stand on the ground. Was this guy for real? He reminded her so much of Ryan. She'd used to think he was weird because of how unaggressive and passive he was. Maybe..just maybe…he was on to something. Cause she had to say, this was really getting to her. The guy was interested in protecting her…what was it..honor?

"I'd perfer it." He kissed her forehead in a chaste gesture. "Can you do that for me? No drugs and alcohol for a day?"

"Yeah. I can do that." She laced her fingers through his. "If you can promise me one hell of a night."

He grinned. "Oh..yeah..I can guarantee it."

Steven studied his half gone cigarette as he sat in his truck staring at what had been Jennifer's residence. The kid was home from the hospital now. He'd thought about going to see her but figured her….father… would throw him out. But now she was home alone. Well, except for the boyfriend. What was his name? Trey? Tom? T..something anyway.

He got out of the truck and crossed the street to the driveway. Should be interesting to see how she reacts. He got to the front door and rang the doorbell.

"Comin!" He heard from the other side, just before the door opened. Charet stood there, dripping wet in a navy blue bikini. "What do you want?"

He couldn't help but notice how much her body was like her mother's. She was defiantly Jennifer's daughter. But was she his daughter? There were a few similarities he noticed. The curve of her eyebrows. The natural wave in her hair. The way she stood one foot out, the other crossed behind it. "Can I talk to you?"

Was he kidding? She moved her arm out of the way and waited for him to come in. "Five minutes. I'm busy."

"With the boyfriend?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, Ty and I are in the middle of lunch." She shut the door. "So.."

"I don't really know how to do this..so..um..how are you?" Wow, he sucked at this father daughter crap.

"Oh, you mean aside from the fact that you've been sleeping with my mother, she's been cheating on my father, and it turns out I might just be your kid. I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Charet scoffed and shook her head.

Steven shuffled his feet. "No..I..uh..meant..are you ok from the attack?" He pointed at the ugly gash across her stomach.

"I will be." She covered her stomach with her arms in a self-conscious manner.

"Sensitive about that huh?" He pointed his cigarette toward her then took a drag.

"Charet!" Ty's voice echoed off the walls as he called from the kitchen.

"Hang on!" She hollered back.

In the kitchen, sitting at the table, Ty checked his watch again. 2pm. He had to get going if he wanted to "borrow" that hut thing from the drama storehouse. She'd have a fit if he left without eating, though. He looked over the contents of the table and sighed. Potatoe salad. Fresh rolls. Chicken salad sandwiches. Brownies. He knew she'd cooked it all herself because she'd been in the kitchen for an hour while he'd played one of her video games under strict orders not to set foot in the kitchen till she came to get him.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Charet sat down beside him at the table.

"This beautiful array of eats." He smiled at her, pulling her to him with one arm. "And you."

"So I rate second to food..good to know.." She smiled at him and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Never." He kissed her softly. "But you did make all this for me, and I'm hungry."

"True. Plus I don't usually cook so yeah." Charet grinned, reaching for a fluffy roll.

"So this a special occasion?"

"It's my thank you for you being there in the hospital." She tucked a bit of roll that she'd torn off into his mouth.

He chewed before responding. "Mmm..you don't have to thank me for …" She popped another bite into his mouth, cutting him off.

"Shh..eat."

"Mmm.." He pulled her onto his lap and buried his mouth into her neck, whispering. "Gladly.."

"Hey now…" She laughed, pulling away from him. "you're supposed to eat the food, not me."

His blue eyes caught hers. "What if I'd rather eat…"

She covered his mouth with a hand. "If you finish that sentence, you'll be wearing your lunch."

Ty smiled, biting her hand. "Yes ma'am."

"Good boy." Charet patted his head.

Ty couldn't resist, he made a barking noise.

"Cute." She smiled at him. "But you do have to eat."

"Oh..I will." He pulled her closer, embracing her small frame and kissing her.

Jennifer tapped tired fingers against the nightstand, her eyes scanning the motel room she'd just rented at the Mermaid Inn. As far as comfort went, it wasn't her bedroom at home. And Dave wasn't in bed beside her. She chucked a pillow against the curtained window. Her life was falling apart! Charet hated her. Steven knew he might be a father. Dave knew she was cheating on him. What else could possibly go wrong?

She laid down and closed her eyes. She had to sleep. To sleep and forget. To forget and escape. To escape and dream.

**Friday**

Charet stared out over the rail of the lifeguard station, her body curved and her arms resting against the worn wood. The sun was falling below the horizion making a redish glow blanket the water. It was beautiful and peaceful. Two things she hadn't been around in a couple weeks.

Everything was falling apart in her life now. Her dad was depressed and angry. Her mother was in hiding. Steven, her…what? potental parent? Just thinking about that was a headache. So she tried not to. And hearing Marissa and Ryan. What was that? It still didn't make sense.

Like, why could they hear them but not see them? She lived in the model home. But Marissa was the one in her head. Not Ryan. Why? Ty lived in a poolhouse like Ryan had. Was that why? Was it location that made everything happen? But then that wouldn't make sense either. Marissa had died in a car crash. Ryan committed suicide in her bedroom. It couldn't be just the location. There had to be more to it.

YOU'RE AS CONFUSED AS I AM. Ryan's voice interrupted her thoughts. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER. WHAT IS IT THAT CONNECTS YOU AND US? THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING. YOU ARE A LITTLE LIKE MARISSA. TY'S A LITTLE LIKE ME. BUT THAT'S ALL SUPERFICIAL. Then what do you think it is? I DON'T KNOW. Ryan? YES. This is off topic, but I want to ask you something. OK. What does Ty really think about me? About my …uh..baggage? HE LOVES YOU,CHARET. SEEING YOU IN PAIN LAST WEEK NEARLY KILLED HIM. Will it last? YEAH. I THINK IT WILL. What makes you say that? PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Oh. Hey, Ryan? YEAH. How'd you know you loved Marissa? HOW OR WHEN? Both. HOW..WELL I GUESS IT WAS A GUT FEELING. SUDDENLY ONE DAY, ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS PROTECT THIS GIRL FROM ANYTHING THAT COULD HARM. TO KEEP HER HAPPY. TO SEE HER SMILE AND KNOW I'M THE REASON FOR IT. TO HEAR HER SAY MY NAME WAS LIKE A CHORUS OF ANGELS SINGING. THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE WORLD. WE SHARED SECRETS, HARDSHIPS, DISASTERS AND STILL WE LOVED EACH OTHER. WITH HER MOTHER TRYING TO KEEP US APART. WITH ME GOING BACK TO CHINO. WITH US TRYING THE FRIEND THING AND NOT REALLY SUCEEDING. SOMEHOW..EVERYTHING JUST CAME BACK TO US. AND WHAT WE KNEW WE HAD. WHEN DID I KNOW I LOVED HER? I DON'T KNOW REALLY. IT JUST SORTA CAME FROM NOWHERE. THERE WAS THIS PARTY AT THE COHEN'S AND SHE WAS THERE WITH HER BOYFRIEND LUKE. SHE CAME TO FIND ME IN THE POOLHOUSE AND WALKED IN ON MY WITH ANOTHER GIRL. Whoa! You were with another girl! I'LL EXPLAIN THAT LATER. Ok. MARISSA SAW US AND I GUES SHE WAS REALLY HURT BECAUSE SHE LEFT IN A HURRY WITH LUKE. I CHASED AFTER HER BUT I WAS TOO LATE. I SAW HER LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN HE BROUGHT HER HOME. SHE WAS TIRED, DISHEVLED, AND SWEATY. WE STARED AT EACH OTHER A MINUTE AND THEN SHE SAID THE FOUR WORDS THAT ROCKED MY SOUL. YOU'RE TO LATE. Wait, so she slept with Luke because she was angry at you? MORE HURT, BUT YES. So when you saw her like that, that's when you knew? YES. I KNEW I'D LOST SOMETHING THAT I'D DO ANYTHING TO GET BACK. SOMETHING THAT TOOK MY HEART WITH IT AS IF IT HAD A PAIR OF PLIERS AND RIPPED MY HEART FROM MY CHEST. Ryan was silent for a long time and then. YOU SHOULD FEEL HONORED. Why? I'VE SPOKEN MORE WORDS TO YOU TONIGHT THAN I SPOKE IN ONE SITTING THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS LIVING. She couldn't help it, she laughed. Really? You were the silent type? PRETTY MUCH MONOSYLLABLES. UNLESS I WAS TALKING TO MARISSA. Ah. She smiled as she continued to stare out over the water.

It was very dark now. The glow from the sun was replaced by the moon, though it wasn't much of a glow because it was a half moon. Her blue-green eyes watched the water of like color as it crept up the shore and back again. There was just something so profoundly uncomplicated about her existence when she was here. No matter what was wrong, or how wrong it was, she found a footing here on this diserted lifeguard station. Marissa had come here to drink and ignore the world. She was here to think about them and try to find solutions.

"I've been watching her every move." Trey protested into the cell phone as he sat, hunched on his couch.

Forrester's gruff voice was on the other end. "A little too hard apparently. A student by the name of Ty Harris told the dean that he had a suspicion that the new janitor was interested in his girlfriend, Charet Connors." He paused to let his words seep in. "I don't have to tell you how bad this is, Atwood. You are to stay away from the girl till a retreival date has been set."

Trey nodded. "Understood." He heard the click and shut his phone, setting it on the coffee table. That dn kid! He was going to ruin everything! He didn't want to have to shoot the boy, but if he didn't lay off…blood could very well be spilt. One the other hand, he envied the kid. Charet was his girlfriend. He got to kiss her, to put his hands all over that body any time he felt like it. He pulled the snapshot of her out of his back pocket and stared at it. There was just something eerily familiar about her. Everytime he looked at her, he saw Marissa.

"Mmmm….Steven.." Jennifer moaned as he kissed her, his hands working away under the sheets of the motel bed. She hadn't expected him to show up at all after their fight and yet he'd come anyway.

"Jen…" Steven continued doing what he was doing, if he was going to talk about Charet then Jennifer would need to be a little out of it. And he knew exactly how to make that happen. After several minutes, he took his hands out from under the covers and sat back on the bed staring at her. "We should talk.."

Jennifer could only mumble a yeah and stare at him as her sense slowly regrouped.

"I talked to Charet yesterday." Steven steadied his voice and watched her as he spoke. "She doesn't want anything to do with you. She told me to tell you that if you came to see her, she'd throw scalding water in your face."

"So she's pissed. Coulda gathered that one." Jennifer scoffed, sitting up and pulling the sheet across her chest. "I'm getting a divorce."

He blinked. "What?"

She nodded. "I talked to Dave this morning. We agreed it was the best course of action for our daughter's sake and sanity. " She sighed, looking around the room. "Guess I'll be living here a while.."

"No. You can come home with me. Like you should have years ago." He leaned forward and pushed her to the bed. Suddenly, he wasn't in a chatty mood.

Dave sat in his office, leaning back in the overstuffed computer chair and holding his family portrait in his hand. He remembered that day so well. They'd tricked Charet into sitting for a family photo at the professional store in the mall. She hated getting her picture taken when she was younger. They'd ganged up, promising her an icecream cone instead of lunch and a movie to boot. Being the little sweet tooth that she was, she couldn't resist the lure of sugar.

They'd made a day of it really. Getting dressed in nice clothes. He'd worn his navy blue suit with the cream colored tie Charet had given him that Father's Day. Jennifer had worn a pale blue sundress and strappy brown sandals. And little, unconventional Charet had demanded on wearing her princess Halloween costume. All bribes and cajoling in the world wasn't going to change her mind, so they'd agreed to let her wear it. But Jennifer had made it look a little less costumey by stripping off the faux fur cuffs and collar, the gold trimmed belt, and the doubled laced bodice. After, it had just looked like a special occasion dress of royal blue velvet.

He sighed and set the photo back down on his desk top. Charet had grown up and Jennifer had grown apart from him. At least his daughter still loved him. And he'd do anything for her. Even if that meant divorcing his wife and taking sole custody of Charet and not even allowing supervised visitation to Jennifer. Charet had made it clear. She never wanted to talk to her mother again. And right now, he couldn't blame her. He checked the wall clock and sighed. 9pm. Charet had a date with Ty tonight so he'd be going home to an empty house. That was something he really did not want to do.

He opened his bottom left side drawer and pulled out a bottle of Vodka. He'd just stay here and drink and work. Mostly drink though. He unscrewed the cap.

Ty surveyed his work with a proud smile. The hut looked good. Suddenly, all the aggrevation that came with putting it up and "borrowing" it from the drama storehouse was worth it. He dropped the box onto the sand just inside the door and reached in for the fluffy blanket he'd brought. With a flick of his wrist, he unfurled it and laid it on the sand. It was surprisingly large enough to cover a lot of the area. Then he reached back into the box and pulled out several decorative throw pillows he'd "borrowed" from the various rooms in his house. He set them in different spots around the blanket and then reached back into the box. He pulled out an old timey candalabera and placed blue and green candles in the little holders, before over turning the box and setting the thing on top. He just had one more thing to get.

He stepped out of the hut and headed back across the beach to the pier. He needed Chile Cheese fries and some cokes.

Charet looked up from checking her watch as someone's footsteps ascended the ramp of the lifeguard station. She smiled brightly when the light of moon illuminated Ty. "9:30pm. You're on time."

Ty smiled, pulling her to her feet. "Come on."

Charet studied him. "Where we going?"

"You'll see when we get there." Ty said, pulling one of his mother's scarves from his pocket. "Turn."

"You're worrying me." She said as she turned around and saw the scarf come over her eyes.

"Good worry like anxious or bad worry like scared?" He asked as he tied the ends of the scarf together at the back of her head.

"Good worry." She laughed as she felt his hands on her waist turning her, and guiding her down the ramp. "Don't trip. You'll fall on me and we'll both break our necks."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. It's smooth sand all the way. I checked. Just walk forward till I tell you to turn."

Silently, she did just that.

Kevin flipped the channels on the tv again and again before pitching the remote across the room. There was nothing on and Grant was gone out with friends. He stood up and yanked open the refridgerator door. There had to be at least something to eat. All he saw was six pack after six pack and some wrapped sandwiches that smelled like mold. He shut the door and walked out onto the porch of the trailer.

All day he'd ignored thoughts of Marissa. But in the quiet of the night, when there was nothing but the sound of his own breathing and distant televisions playing, he couldn't get her out of his head. Her smile. Her laugh. The way her eyes darkened when she was angry or hurt. It seemed like she had more of a hold over him dead than she had when she was alive.

He kicked the side of the trailer and pulled out a joint and a lighter. At least he could get high. High enough to forget. He lit the joint and stuck it between his lips. There was little in his life he regretted. That dn wreck was the main thing he did.

The dark of the room was made worse from the lack of moonlight streaming in through the curtainless window. Kirk moved with lightning speed, pinning the girl on the bed with his body and burrying his face in her neck with suction kisses, his hands finding their way to her back and working to unlatch her bra. She was a very good distraction.

He hadn't thought about Charet once the entire night. Not during the movie, the dinner, the pot smoking session, or the night cap. But now, with no light in the room and his imagination running wild, all he saw was those blue-green eyes staring at him and that brunette hair fanned across the bed. His rational mind knew he was with a girl with blue eyes and red hair, but that wasn't the part running his body right now.

Caitlyn let out a breathy sigh as his hands roamed her body. This guy was amazing. He kissed better than any guy she'd ever met and knew where to put his hands during a makeout session unlike all the school idiots. He had to be at least a year older than her. Someone so practiced couldn't be just seventeen. There was no way. She stared at him, well what little she could see of his face thanks to the lack of light, when he pulled away from her neck, a hand going to her throat. "Hey…"

Kirk pressed his hand down hard stopping her speech. "Shut up."

She stared in awe. Something had changed in him. His smile was contorted and his eyes were dark. What was wrong? She tried to say something, but he just crushed her windpipe more. Something was going horribly wrong…

The moonlight cast shadows against the sand."Ok. Stop." Ty smiled as he undid the blindfold subsitution from Charet's eyes. "You like?"

Charet blinked and then turned back to him. "I love." She walked around the little hut and ran her fingertips along the fabric. "This is so cool."

Ty pulled her toward the entrance and pushed her inside. "We should eat dinner before it gets way to cold."

Charet tilted her head, her hair falling into her eyes. "You cooked?"

He shook his head. "I bought."

"Ah. Well what's on the menu?" She lifted the small table napkin off of the little mound sitting in the middle of the blanket. "Chile Cheese fries!"

He smiled, leaning over her and pulling one out of the pile in the paper platter. "You're favorite." He held it to her mouth.

"You're feeding me again." She chuckled and then took it from his fingers with her teeth. "But this time…I like it."

"Good." He kissed her and then fed her another fri.

In a matter of minutes, they had polished off the fries and were finishing the last of the cokes.

"So what's with all the grand gesture?" She asked setting the empty cup down.

"I figured you could use some cheering up and some doting on." He set his half empty cup beside hers on the blanket.

"I appreciate it." Charet ran a hand across his thigh. "What do I owe you?"

Ty smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Just the night."

"Nothing else?" She watched him carefully.

"Nothing else unless you have something you want me to have." He kissed her softly. He didn't want her to think he'd done this just so she'd sleep with him. He hadn't. Though now that the idea was in his head..he wasn't hating it.

"Not yet." She kissed him back. He was so sweet. Everything she could ever want in a guy and so much more. "I love you, Ty." She rested her head against his shoulder.

"Ok." He didn't think she would have been ready yet anyway. Not with her past. Her ex. He kissed her forehead affectionately. "I love you, Charet."

She looked up to him with a mock pout. "What..you're not gonna even try."

He blinked, staring at her. "You just..said.." Ok. He was confused.

She smiled, moving backward onto the blanket, lacing her fingers through his belt loops to pull him down too. "Doesn't mean we can't have one hell of a make out session. Maybe something a little heavier."

He laughed at her playfulness, moving his body over hers and kissing her throat. "Dn right." His hands traced the rim of her jeans before moving up her sides to rest just below her bra. He caught her gaze. "Just curious…how long do you think you'll need before we can.." His hand slid under the side of her bra.

"A year or longer if you ask me that again.." She reached up and yanked him down by the collar of his t-shirt, placing her mouth on his for a mind blowing French kiss.

He pulled back breathless. "Yes ma'am." He smiled, moving his hand across her cheek.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

These events take place one day after the previous chapter

"You understand that if you ask for sole custody of your daughter, your wife's attorney will undoubtedly bring out every mistake you've made to prove you are an unfit parent. Anything you have done from the past can and will be dragged into this mess, Mr. Connors." The twenty something, blond said as he looked over the file on his Cherry wood desk.

Dave nodded. "I'm aware. But see..I've never compromised my daughter in any way so I'm not worried." He tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "And it was my daughter's request that I ask for sole custody."

"I'm sorry?" The man stared in shock at his client. "Your daughter actually asked for that outcome?"

"Yeah." Dave quieted his tone. "Jennifer, my wife, she really is a good woman. She just..made some unhealthy and unfair decisions once.."

The attorney sat straighter in his chair. "Such as?"

"She married me because she knew I could better take care of her than he could." Dave bit his lip and sighed, tears coming to his eyes. "She never stopped loving either of us..I knew it..I just believed, stupidly, that once she had my last name she would give him up. I was wrong. Their connection deepened and ours dwindled. Then she got pregnant. She had been with both of us that night..there was no way to tell who the kid's dad really was.."

The young man simply listened.

"I wanted to believe it was mine. I sold that fantasy to my wife too and we decided not to tell the other man at all. And we kept the baby, raising it as ours. Jennifer's and mine. Well..Steven, her lover, saw the baby as his biggest threat because it "indebted" Jennifer to our marriage. He hated the kid…." Dave cleared his throat before continuing. "About two weeks ago, my daughter walked in on Steven and Jennifer. He went off on her, telling her she was never wanted, was a mistake..was the only reason Jennifer was still with me.."

"Wait.." The attorney raised his hand to stop the monolouge. "Are you saying this other man harmed your daughter?"

Dave thought before he responded. "Well, he hurt her emotionally."

"No. Did he physically harm your daughter?"

"He grabbed her arm, bruising it a bit. Why?"

The man wrote something onto the top paper of the file in front of him and then smiled. "If your wife allowed this, did not try to stop him, then we have a better, tighter case against her. See.. She already is having an affair, but to your knowledge she has never said or done anything to your daughter that would prove her unfit. But, if her lover, this Steven character, has hurt your daughter and your wife did nothing to stop it.." He folded his hands across his desk. "In that case, Mr. Connors. You will win your case without the waste of a trial."

Dave listened calmly as his heart pounded. Could he do this to Jennifer? Really? Forever proclaim her as unfit? Despite everything, he still loved the woman. He looked up. "Allow three hour increments of supervised visits at least three times a week. I think Charet will come around in time and want to see her mother."

The man nodded, jotting the requirement down on the file. "I'll contact your wife's attorney this afternoon. And , Mr. Connors?"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to speak with your daughter sometime. To make sure she doesn't know something that you don't. You'd be surprised what kinds of secrets are kept in a child's mind."

Dave lifted out of the chair and shook the man's hand. "I'll tell her to come by tomorrow. Thanks for all your help, Mr. Rork."

"Call me Erik."

"Alright. Erik." He nodded a goodbye and stepped out of the office.

Immeadiately, the man picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Forrester Rork please. Yes. I'll hold."

"Whatcha reading?" Ty dropped onto the sand beside Charet as she laid, stomach down, sunning her back and studying an open book.

Charet smiled, turning her head to catch his gaze. "A book about kissing."

Ty chuckled. "Seriously? Cause, not really seeing how you need help there.."

She laughed, playfully shoving him. "Thanks for the ego boost, but I'm getting tired of just boring French kisses." She pointed to a paragraph. "Like here..this sounds like a cool kiss." After clearing her throat, she started reading. "The idea of this kiss is to create friction within the joined mouths by rubbing your tonuges together as fast as you can. If done correctly, the air inside the mouths will become hotter. To finish the kiss, the person who initiated it should blow the air back into their partner's mouth. This creates the wave effect needed." She looked back to him, head tilted so that her eyes weren't looking into the Sun as it blazed behind him. "It's called the Heat Wave kiss."

"Ok..now you have my attention." He smiled, pulling the book from in front of her flipping through the pages. "Are you up for any of these?" He asked as a particular paragraph caught his eye.

Charet nodded. "There's a lot of cool ones in there."

Still reading, he nodded. "Yeah..I think I found my favorite one.."

"Oh?" She sat up a little and waited for him to start reading it to her.

Ty leaned over and began to French kiss her, laying his tongue down, under hers and running his teeth from the front of her tongue all the way to the back and then chewing on it in rapid succession with a gentle bite. After a minute, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "Feel anything?"

Charet smiled at him. "Heat..if you catch my meaning.."

"Good. I did it right." He handed her the book. "It's called the Chew kiss."

She took the book and laid it in front of her. "Mmm..want to know my favorite?" Her mouth caught his in an open mouth kiss for a few seconds before she sucked all the air in his mouth into hers and the blew it back. The kiss continued for another three minutes as she repeated this process, varying the intake and the release of the air. Finally, she pulled back. "It's called the Sandstorm."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "How's my girl?" He smiled at her, trying to get ahold of his hormones. That dn kiss had rocketed his senses to the stratasphere. Wow. Just..wow. He needed to get his body under control before he ended up in a very awkward position. The idea, think of something else. Get his mind off of it. Now. There was a faint laughter in his head and then Ryan's voice. TAKE SLOW BREATHS AND THINK OF SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU SMILE. LIKE….UM..CHARET. How is that gonna help me? I'm already thinking about her. THINK ABOUT A SWEET MEMORY INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT. Uh..um..oh ok. The first time I met her. Her confused stare and then fainting in the hall. I had to carry her into the nurse's office.. Wait a minute.. Before he could ask, Ryan replied with an answer. YEAH. IT WAS ME SAYING SHE FELT RIGHT IN MY ARMS. OR..YOUR ARMS.

"Earth to Ty..hello?" Charet flicked his nose to get his attention. She figured he was having a conversation with Ryan because of his far off stare. Plus, she had been talking to him for three minutes now and gotten no response. "Wake on up."

"Huh..ow.." Ty put a hand to his nose and looked at her. "Sorry..inner chat."

"Figured." She smiled in understanding. "Marissa's been real talkative the last few days."

"You think.." He caught her eye, not needing to finish the sentence.

"Definetly." She nodded, picturing Ryan.

"Hey.." Ryan smiled at Marissa as he held her to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Hey.." Marissa smiled, lifting her head and kissing him. "Being here reminds me of all the times I used to come here with Sum."

"I remember the gang outings where we hung out on the beach." He kissed her hair.

"Me too.." She sighed and laced her fingers through his, bringing his hand up to her mouth and kissing the knuckles one by one.

Ryan smiled as she did it. "I hear you've been talking more to Charet."

Marissa looked at him with an odd, but unreadable expression. "Why do you keep bringing her up when we're with each other?"

"I worry about her, Marissa." He held her blue eyes with his own. "She's really going through some major issues."

"Hmm.." She smiled, patting his arm. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were into her.But then, unhappy girls was always your weakness."

Ryan didn't say anything for a few minutes as he collected his thoughts. Was he into Charet? Was that even possible? He couldn't be. Could he? No.. Right? He loved Marissa. But there was just something..Charet was so different from Marissa.. And then he understood. " I love her."

Marissa snapped to attention, knocking his arm from her waist. "What?"

"Shh..not the way you're thinking." Ryan's arm went back around her waist and he kissed her softly. "Charet's like the sister I never had. I can really talk to her. Like what you had with Summer."

"Ok…so you, what? Help her with Ty and stuff? Talk to her about life?" Marissa tried to grasp this bit of information as best she could. Ryan was finally comfortable around a girl enough to talk about things. But the girl wasn't her. And it hurt.

"Yeah.." He nodded, pulling her closer. "I love you."

She didn't know if it was the pain or maybe the anger she was feeling, but for the first time ever, hearing him say those words..she didn't know if she believed them. "I love you, too."

They sat there in silence for a long time, just watching the other people on the beach.

Breaking the silence, Ryan lifted Marissa's chin up making her look at him. "I get the feeling you don't believe me. Marissa, there is no other woman for me. You're it. You're my only. Don't ever doubt that, ok."

Tears slowly ran down her cheeks as she nodded. "Ryan…Charet thinks you commited suicide."

He waited for her to look at him before responding. "I did."

Marissa stared at him, in shock. "Ryan…"

Ryan took her hand. "I tried to survive without you…I couldn't. So I bought a gun, went to the model home and sat in the room I stayed in that one night. Memories of us came to me and I talked to you…" He softened his tone. "Then I shot myself through the heart."

Marissa moved her hand to his chest, resting it against his shirt directly over his heart. "…Ryan.."

"It was the only way I could get back to you." Ryan moved his hand over hers on his chest. "I wanted to go home. You are my home. I went to you."

She held his gaze, and then kissed him softly, sensually. "I have an idea.."

"Yeah.." He kissed her back just as sensually.

"I'll tell you later…" She smiled.

"Wonder what she's thinking.." Ty smiled. He was back finally. Honestly.. The conversation had scared him. He'd felt his heart plummet when Ryan had said he loved Charet. He'd never been a territorial guy, but right them he wanted to pummel him. And the relief when Ryan explained that it was like a sister. He could cope with that.

"I'll let you know later.." Charet smiled at him. She knew what Marissa was thinking and honestly, she agreed with her. Besides, she was ok with it now.

Caitlyn opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings. It was really dark. She looked up and tried to place where she was. There was an open window. And a warm bulk laying beside her. She smiled as Kirk's outline came through the dark. Leaning over, she kissed his neck. "Wake up.."

Kirk lifted his head and stared at her. "Morning.." He sat up, his eyes on how very unclothed she still was.

"Morning." She smiled at him. "I've got to go sneak back home before my mother wakes up. See you later?"

He nodded. "Yeah.." Without words, he watched her get dressed and walk out. This chick was weird. He'd dropped the gentlemanly act and been rough and she had enjoyed it. Almost..craved it. He couldn't help but think that if he had gone through with it, she would have loved it. Something told him she was that disturbed.

He threw back the covers and walked across the room to the bathroom. He needed a shower and some food. After that, he figure out what to do about Charet.

"Jenny Baby, come on. We're gonna be way late!" Steven rapped sharply against the bathroom door. He ambled over to the unmade bed and zipped her black leather siutcase. She was finally coming home with him. After seventeen years, he was getting what should have been his from the beginning. This day could not get any better..and no matter what, it certainly could not get worse.

Jennifer walked out of the bathroom fully nude and dripping wet from her shower. "Two minutes." She took her thong and jeans off the bed and put them on standing right in front of him. "Do you think we could do breakfast, Baby?"

"Huh.." Steven pulled his gaze away from her uncovered breasts and smiled. "Yeah.. We can do that." He watched her pull a black lace halter over her upper body and stood up to take her in his arms. "You know, you really have the art of the tease down." He kissed her roughly, running his tongue over her damp neck and cheek.

"No. We just got out of bed. I'm showered and dressed." She laughed as his hands reached to pull off her top. "Steven, no. We'll really be late then."

He sighed and nodded. "Raincheck."

She lifted her suitcase off the bed and grinned. "Always, Baby. Always."

Trey sat alone in his booth, his eyes on the paper in front of him but his mind on the girl who's picture he carried. He picked up the mug of steaming coffee and sipped carefully. Even the heat of this liquid wasn't enough to match the heat in his veins. And it was all because of this girl.

He set the mug back onto the table and pulled the picture out, looking at it. Stay away from her indeed. At this point, it wasn't possible. He was being drawn to her like a ship to the light of the lighthouse. With that smile, so classical. And those ocean colored eyes. Blue and green..like the crashing waves.

"Anything else, hon?" A tall, fourty something waitress with hair big enough to have it's own zip code waited, smiling, beside his booth.

He shook his head without looking up to her. No. Nothing she could give him. A new life maybe. No job where he had to carry a gun and do screwed up st without questions. No drug addiction. No disturbing desire for the very girl he might be forced to kill. That's what he wanted. Nothing much..only freedom.

His cell went off and answered it quickly. "Atwood."

Forrester's cold tone was on the other end. "A new development in the Connors situation. You'll be picking her up tonight. How is up to you. Keep her till our next contact." The line went dead.

Tonight. He'd be kidnapping her tonight. He'd be holding her hostage in his apartment as of tonight. He shook his head, dropped a five on the table, and left the diner.

Kevin flicked his lighter and lit the joint, placing it between his lips and breathing it in. He thought he could live here, where she used to live, and be ok. Like in a way, he was closer to her. Sleeping in her bed without her, though, wasn't the same as having her there. Sitting out here on the little porch, going to the lifeguard stand. Nothing was the same without her. Without Marissa.

He kicked the rotten post of the railing and cursed loudly.

"Feel free to just walk in." Charet responded to the knock on her bedroom door as she laid, stomach down on her bed.

"Hey.." Ty's mouth dropped open as she sat up. "You're not wearing anything…"

Charet laughed. "I'm wearing a bra and a pair of cotton short shorts. That's something."

"Ok..you're not wearing much." He shut her door and walked over to the bed.

"Hot in here." She made a show of fanning herself and smiled at him. "If it's a problem..I can always put more on." She moved to get off the bed.

"No.." He grabbed her arm lightly and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. His hands resting comfortably against her skin on her back. "You look good."

Charet waved off the compliment. "Yeah.. Except for the huge gash across my stomach and the cuts on my wrists." She rested her head aginst his chest.

Ty winced at her words. She was so selfconscious of those injuries. He kissed her hair and lifted her chin up, kissing her softly. "Shh..you're beautiful. Those will fade in time."

"I know.." She kissed him back, looking up at him. "I just.."

"I know." He smiled, hugging her closer. "So.. It's later. You gonna tell me what Marissa was thinking this morning?"

Charet laughed, her blue-green eyes flashing more blue. "Not yet."

Ty sighed and pursed his lips. "How come not?"

"She asked me not to."

"I see.."

Charet moved her right foot in between Ty's legs, hooking it around his ankle and pulling it backward to trip them. They landed him on top of her on the mattress. "You know those dinner plans…"

Ty sucked on her lower lip before responding. "Hmm..what about em?"

She smiled at him, moving her hands to the waistband of his jeans and pulling his shirt untucked. "Let's skip em.." Her mouth captured his before he could say anything in answer, her tongue moving over his exceptionally fast in an effort to heat up the air in their mouths. When she felt the mini fever in her mouth, she blew the heated air back into his mouth to complete the kiss.

"Whoa…" He pulled back and tried to swallow so he could speak. "That was really..wow.." And it had been. First it was like a normal French kiss, then the tongue action got super fast, and then when she blew the air back..just..wow. Ryan's words broke through his thoughts. I FELT THAT ONE. He smiled, laughing inwardly at the comment. Gets to you don't it? UH…YEAH..

As Charet watched his reaction, Marissa's voice popped into her head. NOW. You sure? YES. Ok. She looked up to him. "Still want to know what Marissa was thinking?"

Ty nodded, moving to trace his fingertips against the raised, sewn up gash on her stomach. "Yeah."

"She thinks that Ryan needs to get over his fear of my room." She said it matter of factly.

"How?" He studied her a second. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?

Charet sighed, a long drawn out sigh, and responded softly. "Marissa thinks that sleeping in here will help him."

Ty almost choked on air. She was saying what he thought! "I..uh..are you ok with that?"

She shrugged. "I'd rather know it beforehand than be surprised later."

He swallowed. "In that case..yes but on one condition."

"Which is?" She eyed him quizzically.

"Marissa needs to tell you something first." He clamped his mouth shut.

"..Ok.." She had no idea what he was thinking but obviously Marissa had some knowledge. Hey, Marissa! The quiet voice responded, and it was just little wary. YEAH? Ty says there's something you have to tell me. UH..YEAH..THAT DAY IN THE POOL…. Her sentence trailed off. What? What about it? And then she understood. When they had taken over them, the couple had slept together. You should have told me, Marissa. I KNOW..SORRY.. Just so you know, I'm only going through with this right now because… YOU WANT TO. WITH TY. Yeah. Speaking of. She looked up to him. "She told me."

Ty studied her expression a long time before saying anything. "You ok?"

Charet thought about it and nodded. "Slightly annoyed. But ok. I mean..if you think about, it's not like it was you and me…"

"Kinda true." He smiled and kissed her. "So..you sure? Now?"

"Yeah and don't worry about it. Dad isn't home till late tonight." She kissed him back, her hands moving back to his pants.

Then the telephone rang.

"You think you aught to?" Ty jerked his head toward her desk where the cordless phone was.

"Probably." She gently shoved him back and walked across the room, snatching the phone off the base. "Connors residence."

Ty watched as her body tensed and stood up, walking toward her and holding his hand out for the phone. "Is it him?"

She shook her head and spoke to the person on the other line. " Is he ok?"

He blinked. Was who ok? Her dad? "Charet.." He put a hand on her shoulder to steady her as her knees buckled and she dropped the phone. "Charet.." He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. "What's wrong?"

"Dad…wreck…cops.." She could hardly talk. Her heart was pounding and her body was numb. "Meet them at the scene.."

Oh gd. Her dad was in a wreck. He walked her back over to the bed and sat down with her. "Ok… You need to get dressed and I'll drive you there." He kissed her forehead.

Charet was unable to respond, her entire body was on shutdown. Her dad… The one person who had always been there.. Daddy..

Trey hung up the phone and leaned back in the seat of the non descript van he was driving. Forrester had been right. Telling her that her dad had been in a wreck was an easy way to get her out the house. But the shock and pain in her voice, she must really care for the man.

He thought back to his childhood. His dad hadn't exactly been all caring, but there'd been moments. And his younger brother, Ry. Ry … He still wanted to look him up. Maybe he wasn't married to Marissa. Maybe he'd forgiven him for ..that..night..

Pulling his mind back to the present, he threw the gear into drive and started down the road. The black gloves, rope, and a baseball bat were all in the passanger side ready for use. He looked away and focused on the drive. It was bad enough knowing what he'd have to do, but dwelling on it..that was just torture.

Twenty minutes later, Ty was made it to the street Charet had said the cop had mentioned and parked the Range Rover. "There's no signs of a wreck.."

Charet unlocked her door and opened it a little. "Maybe it's further.."

Ty nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the vehicle. "Maybe.." But something told him it was all a lie.

"Ty.." Charet was freaking out now. This had Kirk written all over it. But that hadn't been his voice.

Ty walked around the car and took Charet's hand. "We should go."

Then a dark van pulled up behind the Range Rover. They watched as a man in a large black sweatshirt, hood over his head, and black gloves got out of the car.

Ryan's voice rang out inside Charet's head. RUN!!!. No. Not without Ty! CHARET RUN. I'LL TAKE CARE OF TY. Hearing the forcefulness in his voice, she conceded and turned to Ty. "Be careful."

Ty listened to the sound of her retreating footfalls and stared at the guy. He wasn't making any movements. Something wasn't right..

Charet didn't make half a mile before a brown Sedan pulled up beside her and the door shot open, as an arm flew at her wrapping around her waist and hauling her into the backseat of the car. She balked, grabbing the sides of the car in a desperate effort to get loose, but she wasn't strong enough. She felt a prick in her shoulder and her world went black.

Ty opened his eyes and felt his head. What the hell? The car was still there and, upon checking his pants, so was his wallet. Since when do muggers and carjackers just decide to back down? He was totally confused. And he needed to find Charet!

Trey drove to the designated pick up spot by the beach and parked the van. A minute later, the Sedan appeared and one very angry looking guy got out of the backseat with the girl in his arms. He watched via the rear-view mirror as the man opened the van doors, dropped the unconscious girl in and shut them again. The Sedan drove off and he backed out of the area. He needed a drink, a fix, and some sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"What the hell do you mean you can't file a missing person's report for another twenty-three hours!" Dave screamed forcefully at the cop in front of him, grabbing the man's shoulder in a very firm, nail digging grip. "My daughter was freaking kidnapped! I don't give a dn about procedure!" He turned tear clouded green eyes onto the other lady cop standing there. "How can you do this? Do you have a daughter?" When she nodded her head, he continued. "Would you be so cold and calm if your little girl was suddenly gone? Would you? Or would you be hollering till your hoarse at the unfeeling manners of the freaking police force!" Having said his peace, he let go of the cop and stepped back.

The lady cop studied her fingernails for several seconds before answering. She looked from her partner to the irate father and nodded as if agreeing with herself. "I'd be hysterical." Her gaze went to her partner and she put a hand on his arm. "David..just file it…"

The man stood stiffly in his cop uniform, holding his notepad and pen. He wouldn't look at the father. "I can't, Mal. It's against policy."

The woman sighed and looked back to the father. "We could get in major trouble.."

Dave nodded in understanding. But he still felt like shaking them into submission. Or at least the man cop. David. "What can you do?"

The lady cop, Mal..probably short for Mallory, he thought, was the one to respond. "We can put an APB out on your daughter and this odd van."

David nodded. "Yeah..that we can do."

Dave let a small smile curl his lips as he took Mallory's hand in a firm grip. "Thank you." It wasn't much. But it could be enough.

Mallory smiled back. "You're welcome, Mr. Connors. And I'm sorry."

David responded in kind and then turned to the teenager sitting on the front steps. The blond boy hadn't said a word since he'd interviewed him earlier that hour. He couldn't imagine what the kid was thinking. He walked over to him and looked the harried kid over. His shirt was dusty and had some blood across the sleeves as well as some rips in the fabric. The kid had said he'd come to and run after his girlfriend, the girl that was mising. He'd checked the brush on the sides of the road and some of the nearby forest area. No girlfriend. The boy must be in shock, the was the only thing he could figure out. "Hey..Ty..was it? You alright kid?"

Ty blinked for the first time in forty minutes and stared at the cop with a blank expression. "My girlfriend was just kidnapped. Are you seriously asking me that question? She could be hurt..or..in pain..or..gd, I don't even want to think about it.." He looked down to his sneakers. "After all she'd dealt with.."

David let it go. Obviously the kid was still unreachable. He turned back to the father and his partner, Mallory. "We'll go now. Put out the APB on your daughter. Hopefully someone will have seen something."

Mallory nodded. "We'll be back in the afternoon to file the official report."

Dave watched the cops walk away, get into their cruiser and drive off before he finally turned his attention to Ty. He took a seat on the steps next to the boy and sighed. "You're blaming yourself. I can see it in your eyes."

"I should have known something was wrong.." Ty slapped his thigh in aggitation with his uselessness. "We should have just gotten back in the car and drove off. But we froze..stupid..stupid.." He began hitting his head with his flat palms. "So stupid..idiot..moron.."

"Ty!.." Dave grabbed the boy's hands and forced them down away from his head. "Look at me." When Ty's eyes finally met his, he started speaking. "This was not your fault. Freezing in a dangerous situation is not uncommon ok. And don't think for one minute about what ifs. Focus on finding her. Bringing her home safe and God willing unharmed."

Ty just stared at this man. His demand for him not to blame himself was so strong. There was a story there. There had to be. " Mr. Connors.."

Dave looked back at him, his voice monotone. "Yes?"

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what, Ty?"

"What you still blame yourself for.." His voice trailed off as the sound of the grown man weeping like an injuried toddler echoed in his ears. Not knowing what else to do, he just sat there waiting for the man to talk.

"I repeat. This an emergency APB on a young woman. Caucasion. Long brown hair. Blue-green eyes. About 110 lbs. Last seen running away from the scene of an attempted car jacking. If found, report immediately. Possible kidnapping victim."

Kirk listened to the message as it played out inside the police car speakers. He just had this feeling that the girl in question was Charet. The description was on point. He leaned against the cop car, hands in his pockets and a cigarette dangling from his lips. The owner of the cruiser was still in the gas station store. He was easy to spot through the window what with that annoying uniform and pleasant smile. He really hated cops.

He walked away from the cruiser and into the store with heavy steps. He really needed a beer and a good foot long tootsie roll. Heading up the candy asile, he perused the merchandise while actually keeping one eye on the cop. The sooner the butterball left with his coffe and chocolate donut, the sooner he could buy the beer. Ok..steal the beer. He was only seventeen afterall. Here he was, one of the most dangerous psychopathic boys with an ignorant father, a dead mother, a sick sister, and a record of violence..and still..he was never caught. Well, they could never pin anything on him anyway.

The jingling of the over-the-door bell brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up just in time to see the cop get back into his car and pull out. He wasted no time in heading for the back section where the drinks were. With hardly no sound, he opened the suction closed door, picked out two beers and put one each into a pocket of his oversized sweatshirt. Then, just as quietly, he closed the door and headed by up the candy asile grabbing the foot long tootise roll, a pack of nerds- cherry flavored-, and some tictacs. He dropped the articles of food on the counter to pay and smiled that disarming grin at the petite little purple haired punk girl at the register. "Suger fanatic."

The girl smiled and rang up each purchase. "Totally know what you mean. It's like the best way to cram for an exam or to get over someone.." She bagged his stuff, took his money and handed him back his change. "You're the first guy I've met who likes Tootsie Rolls."

Kirk laughed amicably. "I'm a rareity all right. I also enjoy classical music, moonlight walks on the beach, and babysitting." He was lying of course.

The girl smiled. "You're teasing me huh.."

He nodded, taking the bag off the counter. "Big time…"

She nodded back. "Normally I'd have asked you to put the beers back, but since you're just so charming..keep em. But you do have to pay me."

He smiled back. "You're really observant." He'd actually gotten caught! And by a kid no older than him! On the other hand, she could prove a good amusement for a little while.

She laughed, tucking a strand of purple hair behind her ear. "You've no idea."

He couldn't help it. And he really couldn't explain it. But he was curious about this girl. "So tell me.." He set the bag back on the counter and leaned his arms against it, catching her brown eyes with his. "I'm Kirk."

She leaned forward, close enough for him to feel her breath on his lips as she spoke. "I have extra sensory hearing. They say it's a birth defect.. But hey..seems like an asset to me. And I'm Alegra."

He couldn't take it anymore. There was just this..magnetic pull..forcing him toward her. "I'll pay you but how about something in return?"

Alegra held his gaze. "Like?"

In response, he kissed her. It wasn't a chaste we-just-met-and-I'm-testing-your-comfort kiss. It was hard, raw, and passionately aggressive. He grabbed onto her arm, locking his hand around it as he kissed her.

Alegra took the kiss as a sign, she was hauling him over the counter in a millisecond, never breaking the kiss. She took him to the floor, her mind on one thing.

Kirk had never been more surprised by a girl in his life. She was raw..sexy..and just..not normal.. It was a hell of a turn-on. He pulled back from the kiss a second to speak. "Wouldn't you rather go in the back or something?"

Alegra laughed as she worked off his jacket. "I turned off the security camera while you were stealing the beers." Her mouth came to his neck with a pressurized sucking motion.

Wow..he was losing it. Over a girl. He felt powerless right now. And for the first time in years, he wanted it that way. This girl was his Achiles' heel. His Delilah. "Alright.." He kissed her then.

Caitlyn stood in front of her mirror and stared at her nearly naked form. The blue-purple bruises were all over her. Geez..Kirk was rough. But he was also amazing. She smiled remembering how their night together had felt. That unattainable high she'd longed to reach..he'd rocketed her past that.

She walked away from the mirror and sat down on the double bed. Her sister's bed. Her sister's room. She wiped a tear from her cheek and shook her head. She had to stop thinking about her. Enough was enough. Marissa was gone. Dead. Cold. Gone.

Rising on unsteady legs, she walked over to the closet and pulled out on of her sleeping outfits. It was plae pink with a corset top and boy shorts for bottoms. It had been Marissa's. She pulled on the shirt and choked on her tears. She needed to get out. Get away. Smoke. Drink. Lose herself somehow. She finished getting on her sleepwear, pulled on some sandals and her sister's huge, pink Berkley sweatshirt and slowly crept back out of her room.

Her mom and Dr. Roberts, she still couldn't think of him as her dad, were either getting it on or sleeping. She descended the stairs and carefully unlocked the door. Slipping out into the night, she started walking. She didn't really know where she'd end up. She just needed somewhere away from her sister's memory.

She walked, not thinking, for a couple miles till she came across a service station. Maybe they were still open. She walked up to the door and tried it. To her surprise, it did come open and she stepped into the area. "Hey…anyone.."

A frazzled, purple headed girl popped her head up from behind the counter. "We are not open."

Caitlyn studied her coldly. "Door is open. Neon is still on. And the Open sign is still turned that way."

"She said we're not.." A male voice began as a familiar boy popped up behind the counter, behind the girl. "open.." Kirk almost had a heart attack right then.

"Kirk.." Caitlyn smiled at him. "I was thinking about coming to see you."

The purple headed girl laughed, addressing Kirk with her words but looking at Caitlyn. "An ex?"

"No.." He grinned, wrapping an arm around Alegra. "A very good distraction." He looked up to Caitlyn and gave her that charmmer smile. "You wanna accompany me back to my place?"

Alegra shot him a look. "What about our.."

Kirk chuckled. "Both of you. Do some pot. Get drunk. Have some fun."

Caitlyn bit her lip and considered it a minute. Why not? She'd been looking for an escape. She'd found it. "Sure."

Alegra nodded her consent. "I know what you're thinking and yes…" She left the statement openended and pulled her shirt back on.

Kirk smiled. "Good." He turned his attention to Caitlyn. "You've been crying.." He walked around the counter and touched her face softly. "I'm listening."

Alegra watched the two interact and tried to supress the jealous feelings. What she couldn't figure out was why she was jealous. She never got jealous. Ever. Her dad had taught her well. Never cry. Never get jealous. Simply get even. She walked out of the conveinance store with Kirk and the new girl and sighed. She was Forrester Rork's daughter. Not getting what she wanted was not an option.

"It's been a long long time since I've seen your place." Jennifer said as she ran her hands across the counter top in the kitchen. A vague memory danced into her mind and she smiled. She and Steven had spent hours painting this room late one night as a surprise for his younger sister who was going through a hard time and was gonna be staying with him for a while. They'd scoured every open paint store for a color called Sandstone because according to Steven, Riley's favorite color was that. Well, he'd been way way off base. As it turned out, they had spent countless hours painting the kitchen Riley's most despised color. Remembering Riley's reaction, she laughed a loud.

Steven looked up from the cucumber he was slicing. "I know what you're thinking about." He chuckled and went back to slicing. "I'd never seen Riley so naustious. I felt so bad.." Riley had walked into the kitchen, seen the wall to floor paint job and gotten so sick. He remembered Jenny holding her hair back as she emptied her stomach onto the linolem floor. It had been nasty at the time, but now it was funny.

Jennifer sighed and sat down at the counter. "I'm really sorry..about Riley.." Riley had been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer two years ago and had only just lost her fight the past month. She knew how much his sister had meant to him. They were closer than two sticks rubbed together to generate a fire. And if you thought about it..that's kinda what they did. Riley and Steven set up the Radiant Sunset Cancer Center. And right after her death, its status climbed, spreading like a wildfire in a forest. Unstoppable.

Steven stayed silent and kept slicing. There was nothing to say about Riley. Well, there was everything to say about Riley but he'd said it all before. He missed her terribly. Missed her super early morning wake up calls with the electric guitar. Missed her obnoxious giggle when she was being teased. Her bright love everybody attitude. Her incessant chatter at the dinner table about anything and everything. Her surprise lunches of pizza and beer. Her innate ability to pinpoint his moods from the getgo. If she hadn't of been his sister, he could've married her.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." Jennifer exited the kitchen and stood on the stairs, waiting for what she knew was coming. Steven's emotional breakdown. He hated for people to see him cry and she respected that. She was halfway up the stairs when it came. She heard the clang of the dropped knife as it hit the stainless steel sink, the slap of his palm against the counter top, and then the heartbreaking muffled crying. She finished ascending the stairs and listened as the sound died away while she headed for the bathroom. All of a sudden, she really did want that shower.

Alone, and slumped against the kitchen sink, Steven continued to cry. Then a very annoying drumbeat assaulted the silence of the room. Jenny's cell. He pulled the phone out of her purse and checked the ID. Dave's number. Should he answer? Why not. "Hello.."

Ty held his breath a minute before speaking into the receiver. "I need to talk to Mrs. Connors."

Steven wasn't really sure what to do. The voice was definetly not Dave. "Who is this? And why should I let you."

Ty felt his heart thudding in hyper speed inside his ribcage. "It's Ty Harrison. Charet's boyfriend. I'm assuming this is Steven..look, I need to speak to Mrs. Connors immediately. It concerns her daughter." Maybe that would get through.

Steven steadied himself. " Is she ok? Was she attacked again?" Wait..was he seriously starting to feel responsible for the girl? Like an actual father?

"She's missing. Kidnapped a couple hours ago." Hearing the words had been tough, believing them had been a nightmare, but actually saying them..well that just made his already raw throat dry.

"I..I'll tell Jennifer.." Steven dropped the cell on the counter and ran upstairs.

Ty clicked off and handed the phone to Dave. "So that was Steven.."

Dave nodded, taking the phone. "She'll call.." He looked at the boy for comfirmation. "Won't she?"

"I really don't know Mr. Connors." Ty sighed and cast a glance toward the stairs. "Can I.."

Dave smiled. "She'll get mad if you misplace anything…"

Ty grinned. "Maybe I'll misplace everything.." He headed upstairs as Charet's father laughed through his tears.

4am. Kevin stared at the clock, counting the little red dashes that made up each number on display. Four had four dashes. And each zero had six dashes. Together that was 4 and 6 and 6. Which came out to 16. Marissa had been 18.. Stop it! He shook his head and chugged some Vodka from the little bottle he held.

All he'd thought about the last six hours was Marissa. Well, specifically, missing Marissa. Feeling like a cowardly murderer. Wanting her here.

He glanced back at the clock. 4:02am. That was 4 and 6 and 5. 15. Enough of this feeling sorry crap..he needed a joint.

Ty stood in the middle of Charet's empty room trying really hard not to cry. Where was she? Was she ok? Who had done it? He sat down on her bed and stared at the weird purple bear like stuffed animal resting on the pillow. Was that a? He picked up the toy and hugged it to him. A Care Bear. He wasn't sure which one, but the concept alone was comforting.

He remembered growing up and watching the Care Bears on Saturday morning cartoons. Care A Lot. Even back then, the world had been lucky enough to have it's few shinning moments..it's gems of kindness that stood out amoung the bad. But for the life of him, right now, all he could think about was the bad.

Silently, he laid down on her bed clutching the medium sized Care Bear in his arms and letting the tears come. Then Ryan was talking to him. OK..NOW THE COINCEDENCES ARE JUST GETTING WEIRD. What are you talking about? CHARET HAVING A SHARE BEAR. Huh? MARISSA HAD A SHARE BEAR, IT'S THE PURPLE CARE BEAR. Wait. She seriously had this stuffed animal? YEAH.. You're right. The coincidences are getting too weird. Way too weird. OH YEAH.

Ty sat bolt upright, still clutching the stuffed animal. Ryan! You can find Charet! WHAT NOW? You can match thoughts with her or Marissa or whatever it is you do and you can find out where she is. YOU THINK? Worth a try. OK.

There was very little light in the room when Charet came to. Her head felt like it was made of stone and was bearing down on her shoulders compressing them to the floor. The..very..soft, moving..floor. She sat up slowly and pressed her palms into what she was laying on. The fluxuation of the mattress made it move under her body. A water bed. She was lying on a water bed.

As her eyes adjusted to the room's blackness, she could make out a few other things. A dresser to her left, two doors to her right. One probably the closet, the other..leading out of the room.. She gently got to her feet and took a step toward the doors. Her knees gave out and she slammed into the lush carpeted floor, her legs curled under her. Freaking ow. She bit her lip a little to hard and tasted her own blood.

Where was she?

"Whoa.." The voice echoed off the walls as the light came on. A man in all black stood in the doorway, staring at her. "Looks like you could use some help.." Then he was walking toward her, the hood of the sweatshirt slipping off and revealing who it was. Tr.. Ryan's voice finished her thought. EY. TREY..

Charet said nothing as he kneeled down, slid his arms around her waist and hauled her back to her feet. This was the janitor of her school. The guy who was Ryan's brother..THE GUY WHO TRIED TO RAPE MARISSA. She looked up at the same time he did and they held each other's gaze.

Trey kept his hands on her waist. "Lip is bleeding.." Before she could respond, he moved his thumb across her mouth to wipe away the blood.

Finding her voice, she tried to keep the terror out of her tone. "Please..let me go.."

Trey acted like he hadn't heard her plea. "Hungry?" But he had heard it, and it was killing him. He moved away from her, giving her a half smile. "Got Thai.."

Charet knew what he meant, but hearing the abbreviation's pronounciation made her think of her own Ty. Was he ok? She'd left him and ran. Coward. Had he been hurt? Was he here maybe? Ty… She looked up to see Trey staring at her, almost….and she hoped she wasn't right..undressing her with his eyes. "Not hungry.."

"Eating is good for you." Trey grabbed her wrist and began pulling her out into the hall. He pushed her onto the couch and pulled a gun from the waistband of his jeans. "I don't really like guns…" He sat down next to her, resting the cold barrel of the gun on her forearm. "Getting shot will do that to you.."

A chill went up her spine as the firearm touched her skin. Ryan.. I'M HERE. IT'S OK. She looked to Trey. "Who shot you?" Maybe if she could keep his mind on something else, she could stay safe. Marissa's voice answered her thoughts. I DID. You shot him? HE WAS GONNA KILL RYAN…THE GUN WAS ON THE FLOOR.. Why was he gonna kill Ryan? RYAN WAS BEATING HIM UP BECAUSE OF ME..

Trey studied the far away look in the girl's eyes for a few minutes. Her mannerisms even seemed like Marissa. And when she looked at him with those eyes… He hadn't meant to hold her like that when he'd helped her up. But he wasn't sorry for it. That small..kinda innocent..touch had messed with him. He shook his head and ignored her question. The less he said to her the better.

TREY HAS HER. Ryan's scared tone broke into Ty's head as he laid on Charet's bed still clutching the purple Care Bear. What! I DON'T KNOW WHY YET. And where? NO. He sighed, sitting up. Ryan, please watch out for her. I WILL. Thanks.. I KNOW, MAN. I KNOW. There was suddenly an overwhelming sense of warmth enveloping him. Like the feeling one gets from a hug. Dude.. I DON'T REALLY HUG A LOT EITHER.. Ok.. I'M GONNA GET BACK NOW. Yeah..

Dave picked up the phone on the first ring thinking it was Jennifer. He was wrong. "What do you want?"

Forrester leaned back in his leather desk chair and spoke with a calm tone into the receiver. "The question, Dear Dave, is what do I not want. The answer to that is to hurt your beautiful daughter."

Dave froze, a white-knuckled grip on the phone. "You son of a.."

Forrester cut him off. "You're in no position to insult me, Dave. Now..here's what I want. My ten grand. By next week or I send her back in pieces." He hung up.

Dave put the phone back on the hook and turned around to see a very shocked Ty standing just inside the room. "Ty…."

"You ok, Mr. Connors?" Ty walked closer, searching the man's face for a sign.

Dave shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "You uh. Remember earlier, when you asked me if I wanted to talk about what I regretted?"

Ty nodded.

"Well…sit down, Son." He motioned toward the kitchen table as he sat down himself.

Worried now, Ty sat down and looked at the man. "It's got something to do with Charet, doesn't it?"

Dave gave a brief nod. "I made a bad mistake earlier this year. I owe a lot of money to a very angry man…"

"And he kidnapped Charet to force your hand." Ty added shaking his head.

"Yeah."

"How much do you owe, Mr. Connors?" Ty held his gaze as he waited for the answer.

"Ten grand. By next week or.." Dave couldn't finish.

So Ty did it for him, his voice shaking. "They hurt her.."

Trey sat on the couch hunched over the coffee table and snorting. The girl had gone back to bed after eating hardly anything. His bed. And he was fighting a losing battle to keep his mind off of her. They'd asked the wrong guy to do this. He couldn't keep her here for a week and not touch her. There was no way.

And what about that outfit? She hardly had anything on. A pair of boy shorts and a dark blue t-shirt. A shirt that fit close to her skin and showed off her body. Yeah.. He could avoid her..right..

He snorted some more and sat back into the cushions. He got up from the couch and walked across the room to his bedroom door. Quietly, he turned the knob and stepped into the room. Her outline was a bit visible in the dark as she laid asleep in the bed. He walked closer and looked down at her.

She had turned onto her side during her sleep and moved one arm under the pillow, tilting her chin more toward her chest and letting her hair fall across her face. Her other arm was tucked close to her body and her legs were bent at the knees. He noticed that she was sleeping on top of the comforter and that her shirt had twisted around her frame and rode a little up her stomach. She was breathtaking right now. And he could feel the desire to touch her overpower his mind.

He moved closer and leaned over her, putting his hand on her stomach just above her sleep shorts. Her skin was cold and smooth. Like Marble. His hand took on a mind of its own and moved up her stomach, sliding under the shirt.

Charet's eyes fluttered open as she realized what had woken her up. Trey. And he was touching her. She cringed as his hand made its way to her chest and reached for the bedside lamp flicking it on. He stared at her a second and she opened her mouth to scream.

Trey immediately covered her mouth with his hand. "Shhh.." He was sitting on the bed now.

Charet shoved his hand away from her body and moved to roll away, but his arm shot out and grabbed her wrist yanking her back toward him. She looked up in terror. "Don't…Trey.."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Trey froze, his hand still clammped around the girl's wrist. Was that his imagination? It had to be right? Charet didn't know his name. She couldn't. He'd never told her. Had he? No. He hadn't. And yet..she'd begged him. Using his name.. Instantly, a particularly unwanted memory threw him back into the past…

_Trey held Marissa to him by the waist. "come on come on I've seen the way you look at me n- no ones ever ben this nice to me"_

_Marissa looked at Trey in fear and tried to pull away. "Yeah cause you're Ryan's brother.."_

_Trey shook his head. "no it is more then that an you know it and I-I get it, you don't wanna hurt him but he doesn't have'ta know"_

_Marissa tried to get free. " Trey no, no way ..ok never"_

_Trey looked at her annoyed. "what-what-what, wait-wait-wait are you ? I'm not good enough.."_

_Marissa shook her head and tried again to get free. "no look I don't mean it like that ok just let go"_

_Trey pulled her closer. "well come on then what what here I am right an Ryan gets all the-all the good life, huh right" He tried to kiss her._

_Marissa turned away and tried again to get free, pushing him away at his shoulders. _

_Trey forced her to the sand landing so he was on top of her._

_Marissa struggled to get out from underneath him. "Get off of me"_

_Trey held her down, speaking to her in her ear. "c'mon c'mon one-night no one needs to know"_

_Marissa tried to struggle again, terrified. "get off me..ow.."_

_Trey tried to quiet her. "Shhh…" He kissed her neck._

_Marissa struggled against him. "_ _pllllleeeaaassseee, get off, ow, ooooowwww.." She reached her hand out and pulled a piece of driftwood down onto his head hard. Then tried to crawl away._

_Trey grabbed her around the waist and tried to pull her back succeeding._

_Marissa struggled again, keeping his hands off her and finally getting loose and running away._

_Trey watched as she ran away, leaving her purse on the sand. He put his hand to his head and screamed into the night "What have you done! What have..you..done?" He sat back down and picked up Marissa's ringing cell phone. It was Ryan..of course.._

The memory disbanded when he realized the girl was no longer on the bed. St! He bolted from the room, running after her. Had he remembered to lock the front door? A resounding click made him realize that he had forgotten indeed and he hastened to the door flinging it open and running out into the night.

He could see her in the distance, maybe thiry feet away. But she was really pounding the pavement. Was she a track star or something? Dn! He muttered a few curses and ran after her, quickly closing the gap between them. From here it looked like there was no choice, he was going to have to tackle her to get her to stop running. And he needed to do it fast before she reached the chain-link fence that surrounded this rundown apartment complex.

Charet's hand was unlatching the oh so unnecessary chain on the gate when someone grabbed her roughly from behind and yanked her backward off her feet. Her back hit the packed dirt ground with a harsh thud that temporarily knocked the wind out of her, which made her blink her eyes.

Not wasting a second, Trey positioned himself over the girl pinning her legs down with his knees and holding her arms above her head. He looked down at her, silently watching her chest rise and fall at faster intervals because of her fear. Desire ripped into his senses once again as he stared at her.

The light from the moon illuminated the patch of weed infested grass that they were in and set a soft glow on top of her features. Like an angel if you will. Untouchable. Unattainable. As he looked at her, those captivating eyes went from blue-green to simply brilliant blue. Her long brown hair lightened as if kissed by the Sun. Her size six figure morphed into a size zero. And then..there she was.. Marissa Cooper looked back at him with terror in her eyes.

Charet couldn't, and really didn't want to, explain it but something had changed in Trey just then. It was like he didn't know who she was anymore. Like he was seeing someone else. And a gut feeling told her exactly who that must be. Maybe she could play this to her advantage? "Please..get off me..Trey.."

Trey stared back at Marissa in silence before shaking his head. He was losing it. Marissa was sleeping in the bed she shared with Ryan in their little mansion surrounded by their four kids. This girl..was not and could never be Marissa Cooper. But she still knew his name.. He shifted his weight from mostly on his knees to onto his hands and watched her wince as the extra weight sent shock waves of pain through her arms. "How do you know my name?"

Charet sucked in her breath as he spoke and the stench of alcohol choked her. What could she say? What kind of lie would he buy? It was clear that he no longer thought she was Marissa…and that was bad. That meant that whatever emotional restrain the had for Marissa was gone. She was in trouble. A lot of trouble. "I…didn't.."

"I heard it. Now tell me." Trey's voice was edged with anger. She was lying. He knew it. Somehow, she knew who he was.

What the hell do I tell him, she thought in a panic. It wasn't like she could just say ..I hear marissa and ryan in my head.. So then what? She'd screwed up. Bad. There was nothing she could think of that would make even remote sense. Trey knew she was lying, it was in his eyes. She was over her head and drowning fast. Ryan!

"Jenny Baby?" Steven knocked on the bathroom door for the fifth time in that last hour. "Come out.." Normally, her showers were over in fifteen minutes. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He pounded his fist onto the wood. "Jennifer!!"

There was no response from the other side of the door because a very broken Jennifer sat huddled under the scalding water of the shower, the running water hiding her tears. She'd ruined her daughter's life. Dave's too. And now Charet was in mortal danger while she'd gone and run off with Steven. She was heartless. Cold as stone. Awful.

"I'm breaking this down if you don't open it in the next five seconds!" Steven hollered as he continued to throw his fist into the door.

Ryan! Ty blinked and snapped up his head from it's position on the throw pillow as he laid on the couch staring at the ceiling. That wasn't Marissa this time. It was Charet. He was sure of it. Ryan!! Is she ok! Ryan! No answer came.

I'M HERE. Ryan's gentle baritone voice invaded her mind as Charet was busy fighting off Trey who was trying to kiss her. Ryan! Help! DO YOU KNOW HOW TO THROW A PUNCH? I..uh..well.. I'LL REPHRASE. CAN YOU HIT HIM? Maybe.. THEN TRY. NOW. Focusing on her situation, she struggled to get an arm free from his hold and then took a split second to throw her newly made fist into his shoulder as hard as she could.

What the? The hit caught Trey off-guard as the momentum of the blow faulted his balance and sent him crashing on his side in the grass. The girl had moved quickly, now on her knees and trying to get to her feet. Crap! He shot a hand out and clamped white knuckled fingers around the hem of her shirt. "You're not going anywhere."

Charet froze in terror as he grabbed her around the waist and started hauling her backward. Ryan! I'm not strong enough! OK PLAN B. THIS MIGHT BE WEIRD.. Just do it! She cut him off and reached out blindly for something to attach herself to. BREATH FOR ME, OK. YOU'RE GONNA BE OK. Breathing.. Suddenly, her body started to tingle and her eyes forced themselves closed.

Everything came back in a rush as Ryan opened his eyes. It had worked. He's taken over Charet. Now to get her out of this. He quickly grabbed onto his brother's arm and yanked it away from his waist..or hers.

Trey stumbled backward and stared at her. "A fighter afterall huh?"

Ryan didn't bother to answer, he just lunged knocking his brother into a close trashcan and then kicking him in rapid succession.

Trey rolled out of the way and tottered to his feet. "You fight like a man." He tackled her to the ground and drove a fist into her gut making her wheeze.

Ryan caught his breath and raised his knee up into his brother's stomach.

Trey took the blow and toppled to the side of the girl. Dn. She was really a match for him. How could that be?

Ryan wasted no time in finding his footing and took off back toward the gate. He took a running leap and vaulted over the chain link fence, stumbling on the landing and then regaining the speed to run again. A fast glance behind him revealed Trey coming up to the fence and trying to climb over. He had to pick up the pace. He needed to get Charet out of here!

The door to her temporary fortress of solitude crashed in but Jennifer ignored it. She just stayed in the same huddled up position letting the water burn her skin.

Steven wrenched open the shower door and stepped inside, kneeling to take her into his arms. "Jenny.." He kissed her hair softly and picked her up. "Come on.." He brought her out of the bathroom and into his room, which was next door, setting her on the bed and running a hand across her cheek. "You're blood red. Honey.." He sat down on the bed with her and pulled her close. "Charet's gonna be fine sweetie."

Dazzed, but oddly comforted, Jennifer clung to him and cried.

Steven sat with her and rubbed her bare back as she broke down. "It's ok.."

Ryan's feet pounded the pavement as he turned yet another corner in his attempt to out run and out think Trey. He was starting to feel really weak and had a feeling that he'd be suppressed again shortly. But not yet! He had to get Charet to safety before he was to weak to help.

The roar of cars caught his attention and he swooped to the left. A road. He'd finally found a road! Smiling at his victory, he cut across the sidewalk and ran to the edge, waving his hands in a frantic motion for attention.

A truck hit the brakes just in front of him and the passanger door was flung open. A burly man wearing a baseball cap and chewing what he figured was tobacco smiled at him. "Need a ride, Missy?"

Ryan stayed quiet a minute. Did he trust the man? The last thing he needed was to deliver Charet from one threatening situation into another. And not be able to help her the next time. The man was at least in his fifties. So maybe he was slow. If anything, he could always jump out of the truck. It would probably hurt..a lot.. But no one else had stopped.

"Charet!!"

Ryan turned to see Trey about fifty feet away and coming fast. Without another thought, he jumped up into the passanger side of the truck and slammed the door. "Drive please!"

The man nodded and started the truck, edging back onto the road. "Where am I dropping you?"

Ryan looked straight ahead. "Uh.. Honestly.. I'm not even sure where I am."

The man nodded again. "Ahhh.." He patted the girl's shoulder. "How about I take you to a safe place then?"

Ryan shook his head. "I think I'd rather get out." He put a hand on the door handle.

"You're in a moving vehicle, Missy." The man retorted and continued driving.

Good job stupid. Ryan had been to hasty and now he'd put Charet in even more danger. Now what? He pushed down on the door handle and sucked in his breath, if he didn't land right he'd break his neck..or hers.

"Whoa! Hold up!" The man grabbed onto the girl's wrist. "You can't just jump out of a moving vehicle, Missy. Take it easy. I'm not gonna hurt you, ok."

Ryan didn't take his hand off the handle, but he did turn his head. "Forgive me, but I don't trust you."

The man smiled. "Considering you just escaped from a kidnapper, I understand your caution."

Ryan's eyes widened. Did he just say kidnapper? "I.."

"Call me Griff. Officer Griffin at your service, Ms. Connors." The man smiled. "I'm one of the forty or so undercover cops that roam the roads at night just keeping the peace."

Ryan felt his body relax. He hadn't screwed up afterall. He'd brought her into the custody of a cop. She'd be ok. "Thank you."

Griffin nodded. "Just doing my job. There's gas station up ahead. I need to refuel. Why don't you go to the restroom or something. I've got a call to make."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah."

The truck pulled up to one of the open pumps and Griffin got out. "About five minutes."

Ryan exited the truck and headed into the station. But a weird feeling told him to go back outside, unnoticed and listen in on that phone call. He ducked down behind a silver Eclipse and waited.

Griffin dialed a number and put the cell to his ear. "He let her escape. Yeah..I was lucky enough to pick her up on the highway. No. Yeah, she doesn't have a clue. I told her I was an undercover cop."

Ryan had heard enough. He'd really blown it now. He might of helped her escape Trey, but he'd dropped her back into the hands of her enemy non-the-less. He carefully made it back to the station and around the back. Now what?

"Hey! I know you." A young man looked up to the girl as he leaned against the back wall of the station. "Yeah..you're her." He took a drag from his cigarette.

Ryan walked a little closer. "I'm who?"

The boy smiled. "The girl all the cops are looking for. Heard it. All points bulletine about six hours ago. Described you down to a tee." He dropped the cigarette to the pavement and crushed it under his black boot. "So you escaped the sickos huh?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah..I'm her. Can you take me to a police station?"

The boy nodded, stepping closer. "Sure. If you don't mind riding a motorcycle." He looked her over a minute. "You'd look hot on the back of a Harley."

Ryan almost laughed. That was this guy's come on? "Look, I don't need anymore trouble ok. If you can help do. If you're just messing with me, get lost." He blinked as his vision began to blurr. He didn't have a choice now. He had to let go. So he did.

"Hey there.."

Charet opened her eyes in confusion. A young man was leaning over her, his hand on her face. He had bright blue eyes and blondish brown hair. She shifted onto her elbows and titled her head. "What happened?"

The boy shrugged as he helped her back to her feet. "You fainted I guess." He lifted her arm up over his neck and walked her over to a rather run down looking corner of the lot.

Charet studied her surroundings in quiet as Ryan's voice came to her, only it was hard to hear and softer than usual. He sounded winded. I GOT YOU HERE. THIS BOY OFFERED TO TAKE YOU TO THE POLICE OR EVEN YOUR HOUSE. HE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE. Ok. Thank you, Ryan. I'M GONNA GO NOW. TY'S FREAKING OUT. Tell him I'm ok. SURE. She brought her attention to the boy. "You got a name?"

The boy smiled warmly and stopped walking. "Call me your knight in shinning armor. Your chariot, My Lady." He pointed toward a nice looking Harley that was about three feet away and guarded by the dark.

Charet laughed inspite of everything. "Nice ride, knight." She straddled the back and waited for him to do the same in front of her. "Nearest police station please."

The boy nodded, straddled the bike, started the engine and handed her a helmet. "Strap that on. And hold on tight."

Charet made quick work of the helmet straps and then wrapped her arms around the boy's waist. "You can go now."

The boy nodded and took off. They rode in complete silence for a long time until he turned a corner and addressed her with a shout against the wind. "Police station ahead!"

"Thanks!" Charet could have kissed the boy. He was like her very own Batman..or Superman..no..he was her Punisher. That fit better. She watched as the police station came into view, getting larger and larger as they got closer. She was safe. Thanks to Ryan and this boy whos name she didn't even know.

Where was he? Was she ok? Why hadn't he checked in? Ty trekked from the bed to the desk and back absently wearing out the carpeting. Ryan should have been back in his head by now. Where the blazes was he? Forty minutes. He'd been alone with his worries and horridly vivid possibilities of what had happened to Charet. And it was driving him insane.

Not the typical same thing over and over insanity, but the unbridled, unchecked, teasingly cruel fantasy nightmare insanity. With the blood and the screams. And the feeling like everything and everyone was out to get him..though that part was fuzzy. They were out to get Charet.

Charet..where the hell was Ryan! Inadvertantly, Ty's fist found a release for his aggression. The wall. He stepped back in shock when his eyes focused on the hole his fist had just created. Crap! Ok. Enough. Now was clearly not the time to let his anger go. By the time she got back, all her walls could have holes in them. Large, black, bent cardboard looking reminders of just how pied off he was right now.

YOU SHOULD BUY A PUNCHING BAG. IT SAVES THE WALL. Marissa's soft voice interrupted his anger-fueled thoughts. Hey you. HEY. So what are you doing in my head? I HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. Huh? RYAN HAD TO TAKE OVER CHARET AND THREE WAS A CROWD, YA KNOW. Wait..he had to? As in.. there was no choice? EXACTLY. Ty's head began to swim with more vulgarly unpredictable images of Charet. So much so, it even affected Marissa. WHOA..WHOA… What? REIGN IN THOSE THOUGHTS. YOU'RE BRINGING UP BAD MEMORIES. Sorry. Can you tell me what you know? Please. NOT ANYTHING REALLY. TREY WAS PINNING HER TO THE GROUND AND THEN I GUESS..I UH LOST CONSCIOUSNESS..IF I CAN DO THAT. I guess maybe you could. I mean.. if you think about it all consciousness is a knowing and being able to comprend everything going on around you. So it really has nothing to do a corporial form..ie your body. There was a silence from Marissa that seemed to span twenty minutes it was so freeze frame esque. Actually it was about three and then she spoke again. YOU SOUND LIKE LINDSAY(EY). Who? And then all to sudden, like a jab in the throat, her last words rocked him to the core. _Trey was pinning her to the ground and then I uh lost consciousness._ What!!!

Ty's next instinct was to pound the intrails out of Trey. Whether it had or hadn't happened..just that the guy had even tried it..he'd kill him. Slowly. YOU SOUND LIKE ME. Ryan's intrusion into Ty's head was very very welcome. Is she ok? YEAH. AND NO TO YOUR NEXT QUESTION. How did you..? LIKE ME REMEMBER. Right.. No that he understood it. Where is she? ON HER WAY HOME. Thank God. Without realizing it, Ty let out the breath he'd been holding. Charet was ok and headed home. Charet was safe. Or was she? Ok yes, for the moment she was. But Dave..er.. had said that he owed money to a powerful angry man. A man who had easily kidnapped Charet. And he had the sinking feeling, that given any semblance of opportunity the man could pull it off again. And this time.. Charet might not survive.

"Connors, Dave." Charet's exasperated voice echoed the words for the tenth time since entering the police station. "Can someone please just take me home?" She glanced over to the boy who was leaning against the door frame and watching her with some unknown look..like..admiration…and..disbelief. It was a weird combo for sure.

A plain clothes female cop looked up from her desk and a flicker of recognition danced in her eyes. She immediately made her way to the front of the station. "Did you say Connors?" Was it possible? Had the girl actually escaped her situation?

Charet nodded. "Yeah. Can someone help me?"

The cop smiled. "I was one of the cops to respond to your father's call earlier tonight..or..I guess it was actually last night." Her eyes strayed to the boy by the door and she waved. "Hey, Cire. Your dad's not working tonight. Whatcha doing here?"

Charet looked in the direction of the cop's line of vision. She was clearly addressing the boy who had helped her get here. Cire.. That was a name she had never heard.. And honestly had no idea how to pronouce had she not heard it said. So her knight had a name. Cire.

Cire ambled over to the information counter and smiled pleasantly to the lady cop. "Hey, Mallory. Actually, I'm here for this lovely spark of life." He jerked his head in Charet's direction and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Mallory studied the two a minute and nodded. "You brought her here huh? Thanks a million, kid." She turned her attention back to the girl. "Let me just take your statement, let everyone know you've been found, and then we'll get you home. Should be an hour..or less."

"Sure." Charet nodded. An hour. Sixty measly minutes and she'd be back in her house, hugging her dad and kissing Ty. Ty…. Had Ryan gotten back to him? Did he know she was ok? She let her thoughts fade as the lady cop..Mallory.. Started speaking to her about procedure this and necessary that. Everything just kind of ran together but she still understood what the woman was saying. Hmm..

Dave jumped up from the couch, slamming his shin into the coffee table, when he heard the sound of the doorbell. He wanted it to be Charet, but was resigned to it being just those cops. Opening the door, he could very well have fainted. It was Charet! "Honey!" Before she could do her usual protesting, he wrapped his arms around her for a loving hug. "I was so worried..are you ok? …how'd you get away? Did they hurt you?"

His questions bombarded a tearful Charet as she hugged him back. "Whoa, Daddy…" She noticed a fidgeting Ty just behind her dad and smiled at him.

Ty smiled back almost giddy with excitement that she was back home. All he wanted right now was to hold her. Ok..and kiss her..and..he'd just stop there.. Finally, her father stepped aside and she came rushing into his arms. He wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her lips softly. "I love you."

Charet smiled, hugging him to her. "I love you."

A light "ehhemm.." made all three turn their heads and stare. Cire stood on the doorstep, hand out palm up and his eyes on Charet's head.

Dave looked the boy over and turned to his daughter. "Who's this?"

Charet smiled warmly. "My knight on shinning chrome."

Cire chuckled. "Nice one. My Lady." He tipped a pretend hat to the man and then waved to the other boy. "Picked up your girl and brought her to the police station."

Ty couldn't explain it, but he had a nagging feeling of….jealousy. This stranger had been able to protect his girlfriend when he couldn't. She'd probably hugged tightly to him as they rode the motorcycle too. He felt his body tense as he stared expressionless at the boy. He was competetion. "Thanks for bringing my girlfriend home safe. We were exceptionally worried."

Cire caught the possessive undertones of the boy's statement and just nodded. He got it. She was off-limits. No trouble there. Not like he'd ever see her again anyway. "Sure. Now if she'll just give me back my extra helmet, I'll get going."

"Oh..sorry.." Charet handed him the helmet and kissed his cheek. "You might look tough, but underneath you're a teddy bear, Cire."

Ty's eyes thinned. She knew his name..and she'd kissed him. A friendly peck but still.

Cire laughed, kissing her back. "Pleasure riding with you." With that, he turned on his heel and walked off.

Dave shut the door and turned to his daughter. "Hungry?"

Charet drapped an arm around Ty. "Starved."

Ty just grunted.

Kirk chuckled in mirth as Alegra finished her thought. "Yeah.. But she was sad…" Caitlyn had been gone for about a half hour now after some serious triplet activity. Honestly, he'd never have thought a girl like her would be cool with something like that. He'd been pleasantly surprised by the little rich chick yet again.

Alegra sighed, leaning over him on the couch, and resting a hand on top of his jeans. With a soft pout, she patted the area. "Hmm..?"

Kirk wasn't about to pass up another roud of this temptress. He grabbed the hand and pulled it up to his lips then sucked on each fingertip teasingly. "Hmm.."

Alegra shuddered in pleasure and straddled his lap. "You found my weakness.."

Kirk smiled, resting his hands on her waist. "Then I'll be sure to use it…..a lot.."

Alegra chuckled, tracing his bare chest with a sensual touch. "And when I find yours…so will I.."

Kirk groaned as his body went on fire from her touch. "No complaints here.."

"Mmm..or here.." Her mouth covered his as she worked a hand into his boxers.

"So.. Happy to home?" Ty asked as he held Charet tightly while they laid on her bed.

"Stupid question." She responded with a mock rolling of her eyes.

"Right.." He laughed, tilting her chin up and kissing her, urging his tongue into her mouth. He missed her. Missed this.

She made no protest as the kiss became more passionate and he moved on top of her. Instead, she kissed him back as her hands traced his skin under his shirt. "Ty.."

He looked at her in question. "Hmm?"

"Ask Ryan if he has enough energy to take you over." Her voice was soft.

Before he could even ask, Ryan's answer came loud and clear. YES. He laughed. Eager much, buddy? OH AND YOU'RE NOT? Touche'. Go ahead. The familiar tingle overtook his body as Ryan took him over.

Ryan laid on his side, half leaning over Marissa as he traced her cheek with a knuckle. "Hey.."

Marissa smiled up at him, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. "Hey…."

Ryan cupped her face with the same hand and kissed her warmly. "I'm not knocking the hut.. But it should have been here.."

"I..was..thinking the same thing.." Marissa said between soft kisses. Her mind drifted back to that night.

Ryan trailed kisses up Marissa's throat as memories of what should have been their night came back to him.

_Marissa walked into a half finished room and addressed Ryan as a song played on the sterio. "This song reminds me of you."_

_Ryan looks up. "I thought you were with Luke."_

_Marissa steps into the room more. "I was. I don't know why I'm here. I just, wanted to see you. I mean, you're leaving tomorrow, and, what if I never ... we never... Maybe I could spend the night. Just hang out."_

_Ryan is quiet a minute and then speaks with a pleading tone. "You can't stay. If you stay ... if, if we spend the night, I ... I don't know that I could leave."_

_Marissa stepped closer. "Well,then don't."_

_Ryan backed away from her. "Yeah, you have to go back to the school in the fall and I just what? Hang around here? Hiding like some ghost? Till the cops find me and I have to disappear again?" He walked closer to her."We're from different worlds."_

_Marissa looked pained. "That's not true."_

_Ryan looked at Marissa. "I'm not like you" He spoke more sharply. "Go_." _His voice softened. "Please. Go." He turns away from her and goes quiet._

_Marissa exited, crying._

Marissa gazed up at him, there was a bittersweet quality to the memory. Ryan's hand brushed her cheek as he wipped away the stray tear that had been the effect of her thoughts. Catching his hand, she kissed the inside of his wrist up his palm and to his fingertips. "Can you handle this?"

Ryan nodded assuringly as he shifted in one fluid motion from on his side to hovering over her as his arms supported his weight. "You're the only thing on my mind.." He answered in a husky tone. Slowly, he lowered his body onto hers leaving enough room for him to move a hand freely across the fabric of her shirt. He had to admit, Charet's clothes seemed to suit Marissa.

Marissa lifted her head to meet his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Ryan, had I survived that night..do you think we would have gotten back together before college?" She was trying to fight her knowing urge to rip off his clothes as his hand slid up her side to rest in the space between her breasts.

Ryan trailed her neck with pulsating kisses before responding. "It would have depended on you…but ..it was something I wanted…" His hand massaged her chest as he smiled down to her. "You?"

Marissa let a soft moan escape her as she answered. "I think it would have happened without trying.." Her nerves began to buzz as he slid the hand back down her stomach and then moved it entirely to move slowly up the side of her thigh.

Ryan curled his fingers around the right side of the waistband of her shorts and inched his hand backward so that they would slid down her thighs. He supported his weight with the opposite arm and finished the job then waited as she did a bicycle manuver to kick them off her feet. He moved back to his intial position and kissed her with a full blown erruption of his passion, his hand snagging the hem of her shirt.

Marissa crooked her right leg up and undid the button and zipper on his pants, letting her hands linger on his waist. She lifted her upper body off the bed and held her breath as she tugged off his shirt, tossing it somewhere to her left. Absently, she bit her lip as he once again lowered his body to meet hers, their chests now bare and pressed together so much so that nothing but air could come between them.

Ryan caressed her cheek as he kissed her, his other hand resting on her side just above her underwear. He couldn't help but wish this was 2003 and they were in an unfinished room with plastic covering the walls and scaffoldings standing idle. Even now, he could see the green tent and the candle lit room as clearly as if he was there. That song playing on the sterio Seth had loaned him. Her walking in, standing there as the glow of the candles fell onto her shoulders.

Marissa tugged on either side of his legs to get his pants off. He might have been wearing a green t-shirt and black jeans but she saw him in his trademark wife beater, choker on his neck and black cuff on his wrist. In her mind, they were laying together inside that tent the candles the only light in the room and the haunting melody of "Hallelujah" playing in the background. So lost in her memory/fantasy was she, that when he removed both their remaining clothes it took her a second to realize it.

Ryan softly began to hum as he made them one. "..mmm..mmmmmm…used to live alone before I knew you..mmmmm..mm…mmm…hallelujah.."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The incessant pounding on the apartment door startled Trey awake and he scrambled to get on a pair of pants before going to open it. It was about 10am according to his digital clock. That meant his very angry boss at the door. Where was that gun?

He took two minutes and fully searched the front room for the gun, finally finding it tucked under the sofa. He slid it into the waistband of his jeans and unlatched the door, pulling it inward. Two men he couldn't recall stepped into the room and shut the door behind them. He looked them over and had a sinking feeling.

The first one was tiny but armed to the teeth with a .45, a switchblade, and brass knuckles on his hands. The second was bigger and only had a wide grin. They both stared at him and finally the bigger one spoke. "You screw up the boss's plans.. The boss screws up yours.."

Trey felt his heart pound as he realized what was coming. "Look.."

The tiny man's fist connected with Trey's face and the brass knuckles dug hard into his cheek breaking his jaw bone as he toppled backward.

Immeadiately, Trey reached for his gun and fired a seriously off target shot in the general direction. He tried to mumble a curse but his broken jaw wouldn't allow it.

The tiny man lunged forward and hit Trey again, this time directly into his throat.

Sputtering for air, Trey fell back against the wall and coughed. His throat was on fire. He coughed again and widened his eyes when he realized it was blood that was clogging his esophagus. Another hit landed just off his shoulder and he accidently clicked the trigger of the gun. The shot rang out and the tiny man staggered backward as a clean blood spot appeared in his chest.

Déjà vu. Trey was instantly propelled back into the past.

_Trey held the base of his telephone above Ryan's head prepared to slam it against his brother's skull. Then came the sound of the gun firing. The gun that he'd dropped.._

_Suddenly everything grew in scope as he felt his eyes widen in shock._

_Turning, he saw Marissa's face and then began to feel woozy and looked down to the wound in his chest.._

_Everything was dark.._

The bigger guy looked at the carnage in surprise. The Atwood fellow hadn't even seemed there when he'd been shot in the head. His eyes were glazed over even before the bullet left the barrel. He shrugged and pocked his gun, staring at his now dead associate. What a waste. It had been a sucker shot. Gregory should have seen it coming.. He should have..but he didn't.

The man flipped open his cell phone and hit speed dial number one. "Situation taken care of with unexpected casualty."

Forrester's saddened tone came over the line. "Greg?"

The man nodded even though his boss couldn't possibly see the gesture. "I'm sorry. Your brother was a wonderful man, Sir."

Forrester's muffled words sounded like a thank you as the line went dead.

The man dropped his cell phone back into his deep coat pocket and took a final look around the apartment. He'd have to leave Gregory there. He couldn't very well carry a dead man out to his car in broad daylight. Even if he really really wanted to., which he did. With a final sigh, he walked out.

"Mmm…." Charet emitted a light moan as she turned over in her bed, still very much asleep. Her arm curled, pulling the comforter to her body, as she shifted falling more into the person sleeping beside her.

Ty blinked several times in protest of waking up as annoying flickers of light danced across his face. Begrudingly, he opened his eyes to the morning and smiled when he realized where he was. But this wasn't his moment to cherish. It belonged to Ryan. Hey, Ryan? You awake? Actually.. Do you even sleep? There was a familiar laugh before an actual response came. I'M AWAKE. I THINK I SLEEP. MAYBE I JUST GO UNCONSCIOUS. NOW WHAT IS IT YOU WANT? Ty chuckled. Someone's cranky in the morning. SETH USED TO SAY THAT TOO. Who's Seth? I'LL TELL YOU LATER. SO WHAT YOU WANT? Would you like to see Marissa wake up? LIKE THE MORNING AFTER MOMENT, YOU MEAN? Yeah. MORE THAN ANYTHING. Ok. Ty felt the tingle as his spirit became suppressed in favor of Ryan's.

Ryan looked over at Charet as she slept beside him. This was kinda weird. How was he supposed to get Marissa to take over Charet when she wasn't even awake? Hmm..

Charet rolled over, her body pressing into his and her arm drapping across his chest.

Ok. This was really freaking him out now. Ryan lowered his face to Charet's and whispered into her ear in soft, gentle tone. "I love you, Marissa."

Charet gave no response.

Hmm.. "Marissa…wake up."

Charet's blue-green eyes fluttered open. "Ryan..?"

Ryan smiled. "Hey.."

Marissa stared up in a barely awake state at Ryan. "Hey…." She leaned up and lightly kissed him. "Sleep well?"

Ryan nodded. "I always do when you're in my arms."

Marissa smiled. "Mmm..how is it that you can make the cheesiest line seem so sincere and perfect?"

Ryan laughed. "It's in my nature I guess." He smiled at her. "You want some breakfast?"

"Yeah.." Marissa kissed him softly. "But do you think we have that long?"

Ryan shrugged. "We had all last night….."

Marissa nodded. "Yeah.. We did.. Ok. Breakfast."

Ryan kissed her forehead. "Breakfast and clothes. We'll go to the pier. The diner."

Marissa smiled back at him. "Sounds wonderful. And so long ago since we did that.."

They got out of bed and shuffled around the room looking for their respective clothes and getting dressed quickly. Then, together, they walked out of the room and down the stairs very quietly so as not to wake Mr. Connors. Charet's car was outside and her keys were now dangling from Marissa's fingers. They got in, started the car, and drove to the diner.

The early afternoon sunlight glinted into the tiny motel window inbetween the off-white blinds as Kirk's eyes adjusted to the brightness. His senses were on lifesupport what with a pounding headache curtisy of an all night drinking binge, a general heaviness in his chest thanks to all the pot, and a full body numbness thanks to a certain purple headed Goddess.

Thinking about her, he noticed her absence from the double bed he was laying in and, after a second, registered the sound of the shower muffled through the closed bathroom door. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and planted his feet on the gray, knotted carpet. He'd surprise her. With slow steps, he crossed the room and twisted the doorknob very quietly, pushing the door inward.

The sight before him was intoxicating far more than all the alcohol had been. Alegra, his Goddess, was standing there in the shower lathering her purple locks with his shampoo. But even more amazing was the fact that his view wasn't obstructed by a curtain or a shower door. No. This girl…this beyond beautiful, extremely sexy, raw, sensually charged being had purposely left the door unlocked and forgot to close the curtain as she cleansed herself. As if he'd given her a silent cue, he saw her head turn and a most impish grin spread across her lips.

Alegra stood there a second and then ran her hands back through her hair to help rinse out the shampoo. Her eyes never left his as she moved, finally speaking. "How do I look wet?"

Kirk chuckled and stepped forward into the tiny bathroom. "Hot." He lifted his hand out and grazed her bare shoulder with his knuckles. "But lonely.."

Alegra smiled. "Aren't you coming in?"

He wasted no time in joining her in the shower and pulling her to him for another of those aggressive kisses.

"You remember the first time we ever came here?" Marissa inquired as she took another bite from her short stack. Her hair hung over her shoulder, grazing the plate's edge.

Ryan nodded as he moved his arm from laying on the top of the booth to drapping over her shoulders. "When I told you I was gonna leave back when we first met.."

She nodded. "And Seth had the idea to do the pancake tour.."

He interrupted her. "..Like from your favorite book On the Road."

Marissa smiled. He remembered her favorite book. "Yeah…." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "There's a calm surrender to the rush of day.. When the heat of the rolling wind can be turned away.." She had no idea where that had come from. But it sounded familiar.

Ryan smiled and kissed her cheek. "Qouting Disney now, huh?" It was Disney. The lyrics for _Can You Feel the Love Tonight_, if he was remembering right.

"I guess.." She shrugged. "It just kinda came out.."

"Wanna walk the pier?" He looked at her with almost desperate hope she'd say yes.

"Yeah." She set her fork down on the plate and looked up to him. "You do have Ty's wallet..right?"

"Yeah." He answered pulling a twenty out of the brown leather wallet he'd found jammed in his back pocket. Dropping the bill on the table, he moved out of the booth so she could get out too.

She slid across the bench and stood beside him. "Maybe our feet will take us somewhere special.."

"It's possible." He kissed her softly as they turned to leave the diner.

"So he's terminated?" Forrester leaned back in his desk chair and tapped his fingers on the polished finish of his desk. "But we lost Gregory…"

A large man nodded. "Yes, Boss."

"And Rugger?" Forrester looked up to the man.

"Aye?" The man turned and waited.

"Alegra called earlier. She's got that boy so wrapped up, he'll do anything she asks." Forrester chuckled. "My daughter is quite the persuasive one, wouldn't you say?"

Rugger nodded. "Our contact on the Connors issue is also up and running." With that, he walked out.

Steven looked up from dicing a carrot as Jennifer walked into the kitchen. She looked a lot better today. The raw red color was gone from her soft skin, and the dark circles under her eyes were fading thanks to sleep. He noted the see-through blue robe she wore and felt his mind wander to ripping it off. "I'm making your favorite. Sea grass and carrot juice smoothies."

Jennifer leaned her arms against the counter's edge and smiled. "Thanks for everything." She purposely shifted so that her robe drifted apart exposing the gap between her breats and a strip of her torso. "When's lunch?"

Steven's knife hand shook as his eyes drifted to and stayed on her exposed skin. "It was gonna be in thirty minutes… now I'm thinking an hour." He set the knife down and walked around the counter.

Jennifer chuckled. "Why the change in mind?"

Steven wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck, smelling the lingering scent of her shampoo. "It was more a change of body.."

"Ah." She nodded in understanding and ran her hand across his shirtless chest. "Works for me."

"Good." He smiled, kissing her throat, her collarbone, and finally her lips. "Cause just looking at you is working for me…"

Their laughs mingled as they walked back upstairs.

Caitlyn lounged on Marissa's bed, stomach down, and leisurely flipped through the 2003 yearbook. It had taken her a while to realize that she did this when she was wishing to speak with her sister. But it was true anyway. Moments like this, she'd have somehow gotten Marissa's opinion and then spent ten minutes fighting with her. She missed her so much.

A tear rolled down her cheek and dropped onto the open page in front of her. It was a picture of Ryan and Marissa laughing together somewhere out in the parking lot. I miss you, Sis. Another tear fell onto the page and then her cell phone went off.

Maybe it was Sara calling about a party. She snatched it up and answered cheerily to mask that she had just been crying. "Hey!"

Charet's voice was on the other end. "Hey. I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to go shopping tomorrow or something?"

Shopping? Since when did Charet Connors like to shop? She shrugged it off. "Yeah. We can even catch a movie and do lunch."

Charet laughed but it was lighter than usual. "Sounds great. I'll come get you around eleven."

"You remember how to get here?" Caitlyn wasn't even sure if Charet knew how to get to Dr. Robert's house.

"I have a good recollection." There was the unmistakable click as the line went dead.

Caitlyn shook it off and dropped her phone back on the nightstand. If Charet wanted to shop then something must be bothering her. C.C never wanted to shop. Hmm.. She let her mind drift back to her last encounter with Charet and tried to see if anything had been different then..

"I can't believe you did that…" Ryan shook his head as he watched Marissa put Charet's cell phone back into her pocket.

"What?" Marissa smiled, leaning back against the wall of the lifeguard station.

"You better make sure to let Charet know. And do not scare Caitlyn. You'll have to act like Charet, Marissa." Ryan walked over to her and placed his hand on her waist.

Marissa laughed. "I'm in her head all the time, Ryan. I can be her easy."

Ryan nodded, he was listening he was just a little preoccupied. "Good." He kissed her shoulder.

"Rya.." His passionate kiss cut Marissa's sentence off and she melted against him.

Kevin sat outside the huge mansion looking house and chugged from his beer bottle. So Julie Cooper did get back to living the life afterall..


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Caitlyn pulled a rather sheer pinkish-purple top with a scooping neckline from the rack in front of her and held it up, calling to Charet. "Worth a try?"

Marissa surveyed the shirt and gave her sister a thumbs up. "Yeah.. And how about these?" She held up a pair of Army green cargo pants that had lots of pockets and a sash belt around the waist.

Caitlyn looked the pants over and shrugged. "I don't like them, but it's your choice."

Marissa felt a pang of sadness, had this been any other sibling shopping trip Caitlyn would have said something like those are hideous, or did you hit your head? Wearing those is like fashion suicide. But this wasn't her and her sister shopping. It was her sister and Charet shopping. At least, that's what Caitlyn believed. She walked over to her sister. "Let's try this stuff on and grab lunch."

Caitlyn nodded, hauling her various try-ons into the dressing room entrance. "I say pizza."

Marissa smiled, dipping her head in a small nod of agreement. "Sounds great." She chose a room and dropped her own pile of clothes on the built-in seat. It had been a long time since she had experienced a theraputic shopping spree. This used to make her feel at ease, like nothing was wrong that couldn't be fixed with some purchase or another. Hadn't she said that very thing to Ryan once? Slowly, she recalled their day at the mall back in December 2003..

_Ryan and Marissa walked together inbetween two makeup counters. They were sort of holding hands._

_Marissa sighed. "There's a 99 cent store down the street. I guess I can't really afford this place anymore."_

_Ryan nodded, catching her eye. "Then why did we come?"_

_Marissa gazed up around the store as she answered. "I know it sounds stupid, but I like it here. Everything is so perfect. You walk around feeling like all your problems can be solved by the right nail polish or a new pair of shoes."_

"You ready yet?"

Caitlyn's voice brought Marissa back to the present. She was standing, one leg in the cargo pants and staring at the mirror in her dressing stall. "One minute." She stepped out of the cargos and pulled her own jeans..or rather Charet's jeans back on, opening the door. "You were right.. They were hideous."

Caitlyn grinned. "Told ya. So pizza."

Marissa smiled. "Pizza." Judging by how weak she was feeling, she'd have to give Charet back her body pretty soon. But one hour with her sister was still one hour more than most dead people got with their surviving loved ones. She was lucky and she knew it. She followed her sister out of the dressing room and back into the store. One thing she never would have expected, Caitlyn didn't seem very affected by her death. But her younger sister had always been quiet about her emotions, especially when they involved tears. Marissa knew Caitlyn was hurting, she just wasn't sure how to reach out to her and it was clear as cyrstal that the girl needed to be reached out to..and soon.

Ty pitched the well used standard issue softball up into the air and caught it, repeating the process. He'd spent the entire day so far talking to Ryan and learning a lot about how not to carry out a relationship. But no matter how bad things became between the couple, Ryan almost always seemed ready to try again. Maybe that was real love. Ignoring all the pain, all the disasters from the past, and simply trying again and again and again to get it right. But was it really worth it? Before he could answer his own question, Ryan's steely tone came. NEVER ASK YOURSELF THAT AGAIN. LOVE IS ALWAYS WORTH IT. THERE IS NO WAY IT CAN'T BE. LOVE IS THE ONE PERFECT THING IN THIS WORLD THAT IS THE HARDEST TO PINPOINT AND NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD ON TO. IF YOU QUESTION LOVE, YOU LOSE IT. Whoa..ok, sorry Ryan. Geeze. Calm down,man. AFTER ALL I'VE LEARNED, I CAN'T BE CALM ABOUT LOVE. NOT ANYMORE. NOT WHEN I TREATED IT WRONG AND HAD IT TAKEN FROM ME JUST WHEN I REALIZED HOW PRECIOUS IT WAS. Ok. I get it. As if he couldn't hear Ty, Ryan simply kept talking. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY OR DO. I JUST KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE THE LAST THING SHE SAW AS SHE LEFT. I WANTED TO BE THE LAST ONE TO TALK TO HER. TO HUG HER. TO TELL HER I'D MISS HER…MARISSA HAD ASKED ME IF I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA, HER GOING TO GREECE, JUST BEFORE WE GRADUATED. I TOLD HER IT SOUNDED LIKE EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDED. TO GET OUT OF NEWPORT. TO GET AWAY FROM HER PAST. I TOLD HER I WANTED TO DRIVE HER TO THE AIRPORT AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS GOING TO ASK ME TO DO THAT ANYWAY….I STILL WONDER WHY THAT IS..WHY SHE WANTED ME TO BE THE LAST THING SHE SAW BEFORE LEAVING….WAS SHE GOING TO TELL ME SOMETHING DURING THOSE LAST FEW MINUTES BEFORE BOARDING? SHE WAS, I KNOW IT. AND SHE ALMOST DID AFTER THE CRASH.. SHE COULD HARDLY TALK AND STILL SHE TRIED.. Ty listened, noticing how Ryan's voice was breaking. Was he crying? Before he could ask, he became aware of the vivid memory he was swept into along with Ryan..

_Ryan held Marissa in his arms, a hand gently laying on her cheek as he looked down to her. "Ok..ok..I'll stay.."_

_Marissa swallowed and shifted her eyes to look directly at Ryan. "I.." Then she closed her eyes._

_Ryan shook her gently and patted her face, but he knew it was over. "Marissa..MARISSA..NO..no.." He held her to him in a protective/possessive way as he cried. _

Slowly, his celing came back into view leaving the deserted road with the bright yellow sky in the background. Ty blinked and relaxed into his desk chair. I'm sorry things were so unfair for you,Ryan. I'M NOT. IF CERTAIN THINGS HAD NEVER HAPPENED, I'D HAVE NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH I LOVE MARISSA.

"So, basically you're saying you want me to keep him away from his overall objective." Alegra stated into her cell phone as she drove.

"That's my girl." Forrester Rork nodded as he sat comfortably in his office, ear to his phone, and hand poised to throw a dart halfway across the room at the target hanging on the back of the door. "Will you be home tonight? Constance is making Cornish Game Hens."

Alegra switched lanes and accelerated a little. "Not sure really. I've got an appointment in about an hour and if this jerk in front of me doesn't learn how to press the gas pedal I'll be late for that!" She eased up to the driver's bumper and lightly tapped it. "There we go..so Game Hens huh? I'll try."

Forrester chuckled. "You were always ruled by your stomach." He threw the dart and watched it sail across the room. "Now, you mentioned another girl?"

Alegra slang a slew of curses at a passing driver before responding to her dad. "Yeah..some chick named Caitlyn Cooper….Kirk said he'd had a night with her and felt kind of protective because of everything she'd been through.."

Forrester sat up. "Everything like what? He's protective? Like boyfriend protective?"

"No..like..loyal friend protective. And he didn't eleaborate." Alegra turned left and pulled into the parking lot of a doctor's office. "Any further directives, Dad? Cause I've got to go."

"No. Not now. Call me after your appointment." Forrester didn't wait for her to respond before he shut off the connection and set the reciever back into the cradle. This new girl could prove a big problem.

Alegra killed the ignition, slipped her phone back into her pocket and walked into the building. She was not looking forward to this. Not at all. She'd had enough tests. She already knew the answers. What was the bloody point!

Kevin knocked on the door of the Robert's McMansion and waited, trying hard not fidget as he took a drag of his cigarette. This was it. He'd gotten away with murder, and now he would get away with something even more disturbing…

The door opened and Dr. Roberts stared at the young man in front of him. "Can I help you?"

Kevin simply nodded.

Charet blinked as Marissa's hold on her subsided. How long had it been anyway? And where was she? She saw the half eaten piece of pizza on the paper plate in front of her and looked up into Caitlyn's eyes. She was still doing the shopping thing, ok. Now what had Marissa and her sister been talking about? She couldn't remember.

"Aren't you hungry?" Caitlyn studied Charet's plate.

"Uh…something's on my mind.." Charet answered, picking at a pepperoni.

"So talk to me." Caitlyn responded as she took another bite of her own pizza.

"I think Ty is jealous of the guy who rescued me.." Charet ate the pepperoni and took a sip of her drink.

Caitlyn smiled. "Of course he is. He didn't get to your white knight. That's in his job description as your boyfriend..it hurts guys when their girl turns to another for help."

Charet sighed. "He's got no reason to be that way though..it's not like I even like Cire.."

Caitlyn held up her hand. "Whoa..hold on. You've been talking to him haven't you?"

Charet shook her head. "No. I just really liked his name. It's so different. Fun to say. Cire."

Caitlyn laughed. "It is a weird name…"

"Jenny.." Steven sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he sat outside in his truck watching the love of him life walk away. Ok.. Not away exactly. Just into a certain office building, to see a certain ex-husband..

Jennifer knocked tentatively on her ex-husband's office door and sucked in her breath. Would Dave even see her?

"Come in!" The tired tone was evident even from behind the door.

She stepped into the large office and shut the door. "Dave."

Dave focused on a point above her head as he spoke to her. "Jennifer. Sit down." He couldn't look her in the eye and still be composed.

"How's Charet?" She asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"She's coping." He answered coldly.

"And you?" Jennifer tried to look him directly in the eyes.

"If you want me to say I'm fine, forget it." He dodged her gaze. "You left me, that oaf of a boyfriend humiliated our daughter, then you told me she might not even be my daughter, then you left the city and Charet got kidnapped. At this point, Jennifer, you're lucky I haven't tried to strangle you." The anger evident in his eyes, he finally looked at her. "Why are you here?"

Jennifer sighed. "I wanted to let you know that Steven and I are going to get married once our divorce is finalized."

Dave felt the bile rise in his throat. "Get out."

"Dave.." She reached out a hand.

"Get out, Jennifer. I never want to see you again." He sat further back in his chair. "I'm asking for sole custody without any type of visits from you. Charet made it clear she never wanted to see you again and unlike you, I actually care about my daughter's feelings."

"I do care.." She spat out. "I…"

"You didn't even care enough to call me back when Ty let you know Charet was kidnapped." Dave glowered at her.

"I…" Actually, that was true. But he didn't know how it had affected her either. "Fine. I'll go." She stood up and headed out of the office with dejected steps.

Dave said nothing as she left, then turned back to the folder of stuff on his desk. He had a job to do.

Cire sat back from the computer and scrolled the information he'd been looking for down on a scrap piece of paper. Sometimes it was good to have a father in the law force. It meant access to stuff most people couldn't touch. Like case files..addresses..phone numbers.. He smiled and stood up, going around his dad's desk and heading out of the building. He cracked a soft smile at one of his dad's friends and exited the building.

He slung his leg over his Harley and slipped the piece of paper into his jeans pocket. This one thing he didn't want to lose. Ever. He rode down the street headed for a surprise visit with a new pal.

Kevin checked the hall one more time and then shut the door to what he could tell was once Marissa's room. He opened the drawers and riffled through a bunch of unrecognizable clothes till he found what he did recognize. Down at the bottom of every drawer, packed neatly away, was some of Marissa's clothes. The purple shirt she wore the first time she had slept over, the outfit from her day at his construction job. He pulled that out and folded it flat before slipping it in his sweatshirt. He closed the drawers after replacing everything and looked around for any other tell-tale Marissa things that wouldn't be missed.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"I can't believe how kiddish you can be sometimes.." Ty chuckled and planted a kiss on his girlfriend's bare shoulder as they sat cuddled up on the sofa watching of all things Disney's _Aladdin_. Granted they had spent the first two of the last three hours watching the above and beyond special features accompanying said DVD. And for once, he had actually enjoyed the extra stuff. In fact, in this case, he liked the special features a whole lot more than the actual movie.

"What? It's a classic and the music is awesome. Plus..I melt at Aladdin's voice." Charet exaggerated a sigh and fanned herself in a mocking way. "There's just something about him.."

Ty laughed. "Are you seriously telling me that a cartoon character turns you on?"

"He is not a cartoon character. The correct term is animated. And yes, I am. And another fun fact.. The first time I ever heard his voice, I was certain I'd heard it before. So I did some research and guess what.." Just talking about the actor was enough to make her smile and regress in years to the giddish mentality of a toddler.

"You found out he..um.. Did another Disney character?" He supplied on a pure guess.

Charet shook her head. "No. He was DJ's first love on Full House!" Both her tone and her body shot up in gleeful reaction. "The guy was my first actor crush..Scott Weinger."

Ty jerked backward to avoid getting her elbow in his chest as she jumped up. "I thought you didn't believe that whole Hollywood Crush Syndrome? And second.. I hate to say it.. But I not only have a clue about the show, but I had a thing for DJ." He smiled back at her. "Though I can't say I ever got this riled up.."

"Awwww…" She patted his shoulder. "You know.. Now we have to stay up one night and watch a marathon of Full House on NickatNite..or whatever that channel is called.."

"Right.." He teased. "I'm actually going to sit through several hours of watching you moon over some random actor in his peak period who is now probably bald and fat.."

"You're half right. He is losing his hair..poor guy.." Charet sighed and snuggled back into him. "Now hush.. This is my favorite part.." She pointed a finger toward the big screen tv in front of them just as Aladdin stepped onto Jasmine's balcony to try to smooth things over.

Ty abliged her request and found himself actually able to recall and recite the dialouge in his head, a repression from his younger years.

"Jenny!" Steven called into the apparently empty house as he stood in the entranceway one hand still holding his key in the lock and the other clutching a paper bag and a Styrofoam beverage carry-out tray.

Instantaneously popping her head out of one of the back rooms by the stairs, she smiled brightly at him. "You're carting fast food!" She was by his side and taking the bag and tray from him in less than thirty seconds.

"I figured you could use a pick-me-up." He grinned and followed her to the den, sitting down on the sofa with her. "And I vividly recall that nothing makes you happier than blowing off your healthy habits and chowing down on a Big Mac and sky rocketing your calorie count into the strasphere for the day."

Jennifer giggled as she listened to him explain her so well. "You really do know me." She took a big bite of the burger and chewed daintily for a minute before continuing. "Ok.. What makes me feel better after a particularly stressful day?"

Steven chewed a couple minutes not because he didn't know the answer, but because he had a mouth full of French fries. "Easy. Betty Crocker Fuge Brownies. Usually two."

"Alright..a hard one then.." She bit her lip as she thought. "Hmm.. Name my all time favorite item of food stuffs that I often used to eat daily when we first met and can not actually cook myself." Sipping her Diet Coke, she awaited his answer.

"Would that be..a chocolate, sugar coated, fudge filled pastry.." He wasn't one hundred percent sure this time, but it seemed right.

"I totally forgot about those!" Jennifer shrieked, slapping his knee. "They were so good too. All soft and doughy, with that powdered sugar.. Oh and the yummy fudgey filling..mmm.."

Steven snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Come back from Chocolate Town, Jenny." He hadn't said that in years. It had been his way of teasing her when she would drift off in a chocolate euphoria.

Echoing his own thoughts, she smiled. "You haven't said that in years, Steven."

"I know.." He smiled and took another bite of his burger. "So you feeling better?"

"Aside from now wanting one of those pastries.. I'm great." She stuffed a handful of fries into her mouth and chewed. "Ahh..Sooo..Good.."

"You do realize that tonight's dinner will be something like Chicken Broth soup and and an apple.." Steven was only half serious, but he enjoyed her look of disdain.

"Chicken Broth? As in water and chicken juices?" Jennifer felt her imagination grip her senses as bile rose up to coat her throat. Immeadiately, she crammed the remaining half of her Big Mac into her mouth and chewed savoring the taste.

He watched her scarf the rest of her meal and chuckled to himself. Clearly if he actually made that for dinner, he'd be sleeping alone tonight.

Alegra muttered to herself as the Rork's long time maid and cook opened the front door for her before she could even put the key in the lock. "Hey, Constance." She stepped into the house and immediately kicked off her biege sandals. "Where's Dad?"

Constance, a portly woman of sixty with piercing blue eyes and a surly disposition, shut the door before she responded. "Your father is awaiting you in the Study." White hair tucked in a rough bun and that ugly purple apron she wore when cooking, she shook her head and headed back into the expansive kitchen.

"I showed!" Alegra hollered as she threw open the door to her father's study. She halted mid step when the person her dad was talking with turned their head. A cop. The uniform and the steeley expression gave him away easily. What was a cop doing here? And alone? No partner? She silently shut the door and studied the man. Tall. Maybe six foot three. Graying blond hair. Blue eyes. Strong build. Relaxed posture.

Forrester smiled at his daughter and gestured for her to come stand by his side. "I assure you, my Alegra had nothing to do with it." He caught his daughter's eye and spoke calmly. "Darling, please speak to Mr. Wallace."

Understanding immediately, Alegra put up the "good daughter" smoke screen and smiled at the cop. "I'd gladly assist you in any investigation,Sir. How can I help?"

"You can tell me if you know this boy." The answer was sharp and distant as the man held up a picture of Kirk.

"Uh.. I think he came into the gas station once. Has he done something, officer?" She allowed her tone to trigger a fear pitch and shrank back from the photo in pretend distress.

"We believe his intention to harm a one Charet Connors. And Miss Rork..we have it on good authority that you not only know him, you are spending your nights with him." Officer Wallace answered without emotion.

Suddenly, the door opened and Constance smiled at the three. "Dinner is served. Mr. Wallace, will you be staying again tonight?"

Forrester turned to the man. "How about it, Robert? You haven't been around in a while."

Robert Wallace smiled and clapped his god-niece on the shoulder. "Surely I'll stay. I miss talking to little Alegra."

"I miss you to, Uncle Robert. So did Dad tell you about Kirk?" Alegra asked the three made their way out of the Study and into the kitchen.

"I didn't have to. Your new plaything is all the talk in San Francisco. His father is anxious to have his uncontrollable protegee' home." Robert responded.

"So.. We have to step up his breakdown rate huh?" Alegra turned to her father.

"Yes." Forrester nodded as he took his seat at the fine mahogany table.

"Well.. Can I get an approximation.." Alegra stated as she sat down to her father's left.

"We will speak more after dinner. Here comes Constance." Forrester smiled to his long time servant as she walked into the room with a tray of perfectly cooked and herb seasoned Cornish Game Hens.

"Enjoy." Constance set the tray on the rack in the middle of the table and then walked back into the kitchen for the rest of the dishes.

Ryan's bemused tone invaded Ty's mind as he watched the credits roll on the big screen tv in front of him. THE LAST MOVIE I REMEMBER SEEING WAS ONE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS. . You act like it's unmasculine to watch an animated flim. NOT UNMASCULINE. JUST..UM..CHILDISH. Very funny. I'll have you know I said that very thing to Charet as she laid the DVD in the tray. SO SHE WANTED TO WATCH IT, AND WANTED YOU TO WATCH IT WITH HER? Yes. Men do weird stuff for their woman, Ryan. You should know that. THAT WE DO. SO..IS ROBIN WILLIAMS AS HILARIOUS AS THEY SAY? He's great. Big. Loud. Exactly what you'd expect from the guy. COOL.

Ty lifted his gaze from the tv screen and smiled at his sleeping girlfriend. She had snuggled up to him, resting her head against his stomach and curling her arms in to lay on his left thigh. Her long, denim clad legs were pulled up into her chest and her white bare feet seemed to have disappeared entirely under a large black throw pillow she must have used to keep her toes warm. Her lustrious brown hair covered her face and tucked into the same space as her curled arms. The glow of the tv screen laid upon her soft, caucasion skin like a nearly translucent blanket. She was absolutely serene and he had no desire to wake her for any reason. He simply wanted to spend his night watching the remarkable specimen of goddess sleep. But that hope was shattered when he heard Linkin Park's "In the End" coming out in a muffled volume from the tiny silver and black cell phone laying on the coffee table underneath a discarded magazine, a used paper towel, and an empty paper plate. He found the phone quickly and studied the display. C. Who was C? Caitlyn Cooper? He fliped the phone open and put it to his ear. "Hello.."

Cire froze when he realized who was on the other end of the line. And it was not Charet. Without another thought, he ended the call and let out his breath. He hadn't meant for the girl to get in trouble with her boyfriend. And surely, she would be now. He dropped his cell phone back into the pocket of his pants and heel kicked the brick wall he was leaning against. His impulsive nature was getting him in trouble again. But he had to see her again. He had to.

"Marissa…" Caitlyn kneeled down, her bare knees making contact with the cold grass of the grave in front of her. She ran a hand over the cold slab and traced the birth and death dates very slowly. "I..uh..brought you .." A twig snapping just to her left caught her attention and she turned her head. A blond woman stood there with tear streaked cheeks and a tiny boquet of various flowers. "It's not polite to listen in."

"Hey..sorry. I was just..visiting..my son.." The woman motioned to the grave adjacent Marissa's and stepped closer to the young girl. "My..Ryan.."

Caitlyn studied the woman a second and then looked back to Ryan's grave. "You're his real mom? You're the lady who just up and abandoned him?" A sense of protectiveness made her body tingle with rage as she addressed the woman. "I don't think you deserve to be here at all."

"I know..ok..I know I was a bad mother..really bad..I know. But I just..I wanted to say sorry…." Dawn Atwood bit her lip to keep from breaking down. "Please..let me say sorry.." She cast her blurred vision onto the headstone. "My..Ryan.."

"Fine." Caitlyn conceded and rose to her feet, brushing off her knees. "But you still don't desrve it. And you never will. Just like my sister..your son is gone, lady. Gone. Dead and gone. He can't forgive you anymore than my sister can forgive me! Accept it!" Starting to really lose her composure, she took off running across the cemetery. She had to get out of here. Now.

Dawn watched the girl's silohuette disappear into the darkness of the night and stood there in awe of the verbal thrashing she'd just been subjected to. She sighed and crouched in front of Ryan's grave. "Hey Hon. Listen..I know you can't hear me..or answer me..but I just really needed to tell you I'm sorry." She cleared her throat and set the boquet against the headstone. "Ah..kid..I wronged you so much. Kicking you out. Abandoning you..a lot.. But you still reached out to me huh.. Inviting me to watch you Graduate. And to your birthday… but my biggest wrong was not attending your funeral. I'm sorry,Ry…I just couldn't do it. I should have..but I ran..I always do.." Later, she would chock it up to the few drinks she had had early that day but for now she was inclined to believe her son was really speaking to her as six very important words echoed in her mind I FORGIVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. "I love you,Ry.." She kissed her hand and then pressed it to the chisled portion of the cold stone that stated the name of the deceased…Ryan Atwood. Then, she started to stand and stopped. "I guess I should say something to you to." Her eyes took in the headstone beside her son's. Marissa Cooper. "We never really met out right but I wanna say..say thanks. You made my Ry such a good man. And..I think it would have worked.. So thanks..Marissa.." Standing straight again, she walked away from the two plots and let her tears fall unrestrained.

Kirk sat hunched over in the booth, his hands clasped on top of the table. His motel room was so boring when Alegra wasn't around. Nothing to do had lead him to the pier and from there his growling stomach had lead him here to this quaint little fifties-esque diner. He lifted his hands as his meal was placed in front of him by the soft spoken brunette who'd taken his order twenty or so minutes earlier. "Thanks, beautiful."

The petite waitress smiled back at him. "Trouser it. I'm not interested. And I'm probably three years older than you." She turned to walk away.

He lightly grabbed her arm as she turned. "Hey.. You got me wrong. I think every woman is beautiful."

"Uh-huh…" She caught his eye and motioned to the fork laying beside his plate. "Unless you want that jammed into your eye, Romeo, you'll take your hand off me."

Without a word, Kirk let her go and busied himself with his short stack. Clearly the waitress was not guy friendly. That was ok. But she was so pretty. And three years older..that was a first. He'd never tried to go after an older woman. It could be a lot of fun. And it certainly would fight the boredom. Considering it, he took a bite of his pancakes and chewed slowly.

Across the resturant, the waitress stood at the cash register getting change for another customer when her cell phone went off. She checked the display, smiled, and answered the call. "Hey. No. I'm ok. I'm telling him Friday I think. I'd love that. Totally. I love you." She hung up and finished getting the cash, shut the register, and walked back over to the table handing the customer, a quiet elderly man, his money.

Kirk watched her every movement with hawk eyes. What he wanted to know more than anything was who she conversed with just now. She'd said I love you in a sweet tone, as if she was talking to a boyfriend or girlfriend..but he didn't think she swung that way. So it had to a boyfriend. And from her little smile when the person had suggested something that she said she'd love…well that sounded like she hadn't seen the guy in a little while. As if she was longing for him. But then, there wasn't any lust factor in her voice so maybe it was close friend who was a guy. Whatever the case, she was irresistible now. He just wished he'd listened to her when she'd told him her name. Or had bothered to take a look at her name tag even. The pretty brunette was standing beside him again.

"You want any dessert?" She asked coldly.

Kirk smiled as he noted the name on her nametag. "Not tonight, Summer."

Clearly unnerved by his comment, Summer Roberts looked back at the boy. "Not ever. Here's your check." She slapped the piece of paper onto the table and sauntered off, silently fuming. There was no way she was going back to that table. She had enough to deal with right now without adding a hormonal pursuer to the list. For starters, Seth was still at RISD and begging her to come back to Brown. Second, she was still keeping her arrival and stay in town away from her dad and Julie Cooper…now Julie-Cooper-Nichol-Roberts. It was hard enough to let him marry the woman, but having to live with the mini Coop…having a constant reminder of her deceased best friend..that was something she refused to handle. So she'd ran away to Brown thinking submerging herself in college life would dull the pain of loss. It hadn't. And soon just being around Seth and Ryan was torture…and then Ryan ..he'd been so low for so long..and then just gave up. Seth spiraled down after that, now he'd lost his best friend too. But Seth was to much to handle along with Julie becoming her new step-monster, and Ryan commiting suicide. She couldn't help anyone anymore.. Not till she got clarity herself. So she'd ran again. This time to Florida for a few months to stay with a college friend's sister, then she'd gone to New York and then just about a month ago.. She'd gathered her nerve and returned to Newport. But not to her dad's. That would come in time. For now it was a modest apartment in the business area of the town and a blue collar job as a waitress here at the diner…the diner the fab four had shared..and would never share again..

Kevin opened the trailer door and looked it up and down for signs of his fat, lazy, Southern room mate. There were none. That was good. He shut the door and went into the back of the small space. His eyes rested on the multi-colored orange trimmed, flap over short sleeved shirt and pair of worn in jeans that laid as though a girl was wearing them, on his bed where he'd put them earlier. He sat down on the mattress and looked the empty clothes over wishing they were filled. Wishing that Marissa was laying there waiting for him. He could smell her shampoo, taste her kiss, and remember her warmth. But it wasn't enough. He needed Her. The real thing. Not just unsatisfying memories.

Caitlyn tore through the Robert's McMansion, rushing up the stairs and slamming her door shut violently. She'd held everything in for so long and now she was losing it. Fast. She ran into her bathroom, previously Summer and Marissa's joint bathroom, and rummaged through her toiletries for anything she could hurt herself with. Her hand closed around her curling iron and she lifted it off the counter and and began to beat herself around the head and shoulders with short, powerful hits. But the pain wasn't enough.. This wasn't working.. She needed something else.. Again, she rummaged through the pile and pulled up her razor and her nail file..crying and shaking, she cut into her arms and stabbed her legs till she sat, groggy, on the tile floor the products discarded and her life pouring from her body in as many as twenty separate places. Her last thought was of who would be lucky enough to find her in the morning, and she desperately wanted it to be her mother. But the reason for that was something she couldn't fathom as she blacked out.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Caitlyn! It's long past time to get up.." Dr. Roberts called as he rapped gently on her bedroom door. "Caitlyn?" He turned the knob and pushed open the door. The room was dark except for a glow coming from the adjoining bathroom. He stepped closer to the door. "Caitlyn?" There was no answer so he walked closer and pushed open the bathroom door. That's when his stomach dropped and he staggered backward from shock. A very unconscious Caitlyn was half laying, half propped up against the glass of the shower door and her body was painted red with dried blood. "My god..Caitlyn!" He dropped to his knees on the stained tile floor and patted her cheek. "Caitlyn!" She'd been like this a long time. She might even already be gone. "Caitlyn..wake up.." He noticed the nail file and razor laying beside her and shook his head. He and Julie had failed. They hadn't seen how much Caitlyn needed help. And now it was nearly too late. He pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed 911. "I need an ambulance here now. I've just discovered my step-daughter unconscious and badly wounded from self destruction on her bathroom floor. The blood is dried. I think she's been like this a while.. Possibly hours…." He gave his address and hung up. He didn't think there was much he could do for her now.

The sunlight shone through the thin satin curtains as Summer yawned and sat up in bed, shoving the covers off and padding across the room to the bedroom door. Her small frame barely made of enough weight to depress the thick carpet in her hallway as she headed for the bathroom.

Thoughts of last night wafted into her mind as she stripped and turned on the water for a shower. For some reason, that boy had unnevered her far more than she had first realized. And his unwavering confidence, usually a good trait, seemed almost scary. She stepped into the shower and let the water pour over her like molten lava on cold stone, coating her in a layer of heated liquid.

Ten minutes later, she exited the shower, wrapped a fluffy white towel around her petite body and ran a comb through her wet hair. What time was it anyway? Seth was supposed to be here by 10:30am. She stepped out into the hall and returned to her room, glancing at the digital display of her alarm clock. It was 10am already. That meant twenty minutes to get ready. She hastened back to the bathroom and dried her hair.

"You're serious?" Vance Conrad asked as he stared at his breakfast guest.

"I'll pay you good." Kevin said as he sipped his coffee.

"Yeah.. But this some wacked out st. This is grave robbery." Vance stated as he shook his head. "Are you on something? Besides of Cocaine?"

Kevin laughed and pulled a cigarette from a pack. "Nah..just losing it without her.."

Vance sighed. "You're lucky I'm crazy enough to pull this off. You know that?"

"I know that." Kevin nodded.

Dr. Roberts stumbled out of the ambulance in a daze of misbelief. Instead of going to work, here he was sitting in the back of an ambulance, watching his step-daughter slowly die while the EMTs did everything they could to keep her alive.

"This way,Sir." One of them called as they wheeled Caitlyn's gurney up the ramp and into the building.

Another shouted for any nearby nurses. "Caucasion female. Extreme bloodloss from self inflicted wounds. Unconscious for several hours at least. The heart is starting to give out."

A nurse rushed over to the little group and gestured for Neil to follow her. He did without comment, but his eyes were constantly on his step-daughter.

"Summer!" Seth called out as he knocked on her apartment door. The door opened inward a moment later but there was no one there as he entered the room. "Summer?" He looked around, running his hand through his dark curls. "Summ.." He hardly got the word out before something came crashing down on him fron behind, knocking him and whatever it was to the floor in a heap.

"Cohen!" Summer ran into the room, the still unzipped back of her dress flapping from the exertion. "God..you ok?" She smiled in greeting as she lifted the faulty coatrack off of him and set it back up behind the door. "If you keep the door and the rack apart, it doesn't topple."

Seth nodded, rubbing his head as he stood up and brushed off his trousers. "How's my girl?" He smiled his goofy grin and enveloped her in a hug.

"Not ready.." She responded as they held each other a beat longer than a friendly hug would be.

He wanted to hold her like this for hours, to bask in her angelic glow and smell her sweet fragrance. "I missed you."

"I know, Baby. I just couldn't do it anymore." Her tone was hardly audible. "Marissa, then Ryan…"

Seth cupped her cheek. "Shh..it's ok." He kissed her softly and stepped back. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't.."

"Shut up, Cohen." Summer gripped his collar and pulled him down to her for a much deeper kiss. They hadn't seen each other in so long, and hadn't kissed even longer. She deserved a little fun.

Seth stumbled backward, blinking. "I thought we were over? Summer?"

"We were..we are..I.." She sighed. "We need to talk. I owe you that much."

He shook his head. "No,Summer, you owe me a lot more than that."

"I'm sorry, Cohen…" Summer bit back tears as she nodded.

"Summer, you just left.." Seth held up his hand to show he had more to say. "I don't fault you for that. I did it too. But to not even tell your dad where you were? That you'd left Brown..?And then to ask me to lie to everyone but not allow us to ever see each other?" He took her hand in his. "I've said this once, but it's as true now as it was back when we first started our relationship. You are undeniable, Summer. And you do owe me." He smiled, dropping to one knee and pulling a red velvet box from his jacket with his free hand. "You owe me the rest of your life. No matter what crazy, messed up way you want to live it. I want to be there."

Speechless, Summer took the little box and opened it, admiring the ring within. It was a simple silver band with a rose-cut diamond and the words undeniable and unbroken engraved inside the band. "Ohhh..Cohen…" She smiled down at him as he slid the ring on her finger.

"If you're gonna be my wife, Summer, you're gonna have to stop calling me Cohen. You're Mrs. Cohen now." Seth straightened up and kissed her again. "How about it, Summer?"

"Yes, Seth. Yes!" Summer shouted, wrapping her arms around his neck and jumping into his arms.

" And so X is what?" The forty-something, pockmarked, puggy five foot something teacher droned on and on as uninterested students chatted to each other, passed notes, and slept.

Ty wasn't doing any of those things but he wasn't paying attention nonetheless. All the rest of the night and the morning, his mind had been on figuring out who had called Charet and then hung up when he was the one to answer. Everything in him was saying it had been a guy. But which guy? Whoever it was, the guy was either afraid of him or cautious of getting the girl in trouble. And that bothered him. A lot.

He checked the clock with a fast glance and sighed. There another forty minutes of class left and he was already so lost on the lecture that there was little hope of understanding the rest. Besides, he could always ask for help later. Right now he was going to focus on the mysterious caller. YOU SHOULDN'T OBSESS OVER IT. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TRUST YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Ryan's surprise appearance in his thoughts made him sit up a little straighter. You sound like this is another first-hand experience. I'VE MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES IN MY LIFE BECAUSE OF MISTRUST. I see.

"You were supposed to call me yesterday.." Charet chided the person on the other end as she talked into her cell phone. "We need to get together soon." She nodded and leaned up against the outside of the cafeteria building. "Alright. Yeah, but we'll have to meet somewhere nuetral. Ty's my next door neighbor as well as my boyfriend." Happening to look up, she noticed something a little off.

Sara, the girl who had befriended her on her first day here, was running toward her jumping benches and dodging students like a track star. "Charet! Hey!" Her voice echoed like a foghorn causing every single head to turn and follow the action. "My gaud..Charet.." She slowed her pace as she reached the other girl. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Charet stared at her totally confused. "Hang on a sec, Sara." She put up her finger and continued to talk into her cell phone. "Yes. No. Let me get a pen." She pulled a click pen out of her jeans pocket, clicked it and started writing on her hand.

Curious, Sara watched her friend, memorizing exactly what was being scribbed onto her slightly tanned skin. It was an address and a number. Neither of which she recognized. And when she finally ended the call, she jumped into her reason for hunting her down. "Caitlyn tried to kill herself!"

"What!" Charet felt her breath force itself from her body as she slumped against the wall. "Is she ok?" An extreme sense of guilt and despair loomed over her. Marissa's pain. She was feeling Marissa's pain.

"That's all I know. I was in the office when Dr. Roberts called to explain her absence from school." Sara tried to catch her breath as she spoke.

"I should…Sara, tell Mrs. Griere I became ill and went home for the day." Charet barely got the words out before her knees buckled and she found herself dizzy.

"Charet!" Sara hollered, dropping to her knees and trying to lift her friend back up. As small as the girl was, she was still unable to get her to her feet. "Hang on ok.. I'm getting you help."

Charet barely noticed the other girl's departure as her vision began to blurr excessively and her head began to pound. Marissa! You have..to..stop.. On cue, the soft alto voice responded. IT'S NOT ME. Wha.. She suddenly felt like she was inside a fire and it was suffocating her. Mar..iss..a..

"She's lucky to be here right now, Mr. Roberts." The nice doctor stated as he looked over the girl on the hospital bed. "Her bloodloss spurred several subsidiary medical problems that could easily have taken her life. For a while her heart was struggling, irregularly beating and not having much blood to pump, it was slowing down. Her lungs are awful. Mr. Roberts, to the best of your knowledge, does your step-daughter smoke or do any sort of drug?"

Neil shook his head. "I really don't know…she keeps to herself since her sister's death."

"I see." The doctor scribbled something on his clipboard before continuing. "I think it best to have Miss Cooper evaluated when she wakes up." He smiled. "Which she will in a day or so. We're keeping her in IC for now but everything should be ok in a day or two and she'll go home."

"Thank you..doctor.." Neil shook the man's hand and turned toward the hospital bed. Caitlyn had never appeared weaker than she did right now. She had a breathing tube in her nose, an IV in her left hand, and a lot of wires sticking out of her blue hospital gown from the heart monitor machine. She was pale, her lips still a little blue from near death, and her arms were bandaged from wrist to elbow in white wrappins.

He stepped closer and lifted her limp hand into his own warm ones. "Julie always bragged about what a fierce one you were. I need you to keep fighting…for your mother..for me..but mostly.. For yourself." He brushed her cheek with his knuckles and laid her hand back on the bed.

Ty stepped out of the men's restroom and was headed down the hall, back to class, when several teachers and the principal, Dr. Kim, came running by several speeds faster than most them could normally muster. They were running on adrenlaine and they were headed for the eating area outside the cafeteria. Someone had to be really hurt.

Dr. Kim suddenly stopped and pivoted. " Ty. Tell me right now. Can you keep a clear head in a strenuous and possibly life-threatening situation?"

"I..uh.." He just stood there seriously confused.

"Ty, I need an answer. Quickly."

Then it hit him, there was only one reason Dr. Kim would be asking him this. "It's Charet, isn't it?" Even to him, his voice was feeble.

"The ambulance is on the way. Come on. You'll go with her to the hospital." She turned and started running again.

Scared to death, he took off after her.

By the time Sara and the rest of the teachers had made it back to Charet, she was unconscious. One of the male teachers went to his knees and took her pulse. Turning to the others, he spoke rapidly. "She's burning up, but she's clammy and her pulse is slow."

Ty and Dr. Kim pushed through the crowd and each went to their knees beside the man. Everyone was silent as they waited for the emergency team to respond.

**Four Hours Later**

"Blood poisoning.." Dave shook his head and stared back at his daughter's boyfriend. "Did they say how?"

Ty looked up from holding Charet's hand as she laid on the hospital bed. "Not sure yet…"

"Is it me, or has she been in the hospital a little too much in that last two months?" Dave sighed and sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed, facing Ty.

"She has. But it's never been her fault..I mean..it was reasons she couldn't have done anything about." Ty said, squeezing her hand.

"I know…I just worry about her so much. The whole idea of moving was to get her away from her screwed up life. Give her a new chance. But so far, the only good thing that has happened to my daughter is you." Dave pressed his hand to her forehead to gauge the fever.

"Sir..I.." Ty was unable to form any sort of response for the compliment he'd just been paid.

"You'll be there..when I can't?" Now Dave was imploring a response.

Without a hitch, Ty smiled. "Always."

The cemetery was silent and dark as Vance and Kevin made their way across it to the desired destination.

Kevin stopped in front of the right headstone and set the small work light on the top of it, the stream of light illuminating the name..Marissa Cooper. He hunched over and forced a shovel into the grass of the plot. "Help me out, Vance."

Vance set to work with his own shovel and a head full of questions. What was it Volchok had to have so much that he was going to disturb a resting place?

Several hours later, the fine blue casket was fully exumed and both men were exhausted.

Vance looked from his buddy to the casket. "She's not gonna look or smell so pretty." He pulled a hankercheif from his pocket and tied it around his face to cover his nose and mouth before proceeding.

Kevin didn't care. "You can leave if you want. I've got things from here."

"You sure, man?" Vance studied him.

"Yeah.." Kevin nodded as he leaned over the casket prepairing to haul it open.

"Alright. I'm gone." Vance clapped him on the shoulder and scrambled up the retractable ladder they'd had the foresight to bring along.

For a few minutes, all Kevin did was listen to Vance's retreating footfalls then he went back to work on opening the casket.

Julie Cooper-Nichol-Roberts finished getting ready for her dinner date with her partner and recent friend, Kirsten Cohen, and stepped out of the bathroom into her overly large, but so gorgeous suite. Paris had never seemed so beautiful as it did this week, this trip. She checked her appareance in the mirror and nodded with approval. The simple purple skirt suit was fitted on the bodice and lax on the skirt giving off the appearance of the trim figure under it and her black heels added to her height just enough.

The phone ringing on her night table caught her attention and she walked over and picked it up expecting it to be the front desk or maybe even Kirsten. Instead, she heard her husband's frantic, broken words.

Neil's voice came through perfectly on the line. "Julie, you need to come home as soon as possible. I'm at the hospital..Julie…Caitlyn..tired to…kill herself last night. I..I found her this morning in a pool of dried blood, unconscious and pale. She's alive, but it doesn't look good."

One thought shot through her like a ricocheting bullet, Caitlyn was following in Marissa's footsteps. Marissa had nearly commited suicide when she'd sucked down all those pills in 2003. And from there, her life had just fallen apart.. She wasn't going to let it happen to her only other daughter. "I'll be home sometime in the next few days. I can't leave right now…with the launch…"

Neil's icy tone stopped her. "Julie, your daughter is fighting for her life. Don't you think you could make seeing her a priority."

Annoyed, she shot back just as icily. "This coming from the man who lost his? Have you even heard from Summer in the last year?"

"I'm not going to argue with you. I've got more important things to do…like watch over your daughter. Bye Julie." The line went dead.

Julie slammed the phone back onto it's cradle just as someone knocked on her door. Kirsten was here.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The years since Marissa's death and Ryan's suicide had not been kind to Kirsten Cohen. They had worn her skin down to that of tanned and cracked leather, turned her eyes dull, and taken her smile completely. She had fallen into the "comfort zone" of baggy clothes and bare feet a month after Ryan's funeral but Julie had dragged her from her solom lifestyle in favor of a Pairs launch for NewMatch.

Now, she stood outside Julie's hotel room in a stylish blue pant-suit and black heels, her hand poised to knock again as she heard footfalls on the other side of the door. Then it opened.

Julie smiled at Kirsten and shut the door behind her. "You look great. So much better than the bathrobe barefoot combo you've been modeling for the last few months.

Kirsten didn't see a point to speak, something was off about how Julie was looking dazed and dare she believe it.. As if she had just been crying. Putting a hand on the woman's arm, she spoke softly. "Julie, are you ok?"

**The Next Morning**

Ty woke as dawn broke and sunlight streamed into the large window behind his not-so-comfortable chair inside the small hospital room where he had spent the night. In front of him, Charet still laid on the bed, the tubes in her nose, and IV in her hand. She was very pale and yet, she still had her glow. Under everything, all the pallid hue, the nearly white lips, she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And it was breaking his heart.

"The doctor said there was no way to trace it." Dave said as he entered, handing the boy a Styrofoam cup of steaming coffee. "But they can help her."

Neither of them said anything as they sipped their coffees and watched the most important girl in their life fight for hers.

Alegra sighed in mid sleep as her senses began to wake up and her eyes fought to remain shut. She could smell the sweat of her bed partner clinging to the sheets as she rolled over. "Mmm…orning.."

Kirk twisted around to face her, running the back of his hand down her cheek. "Morning." He took in her appearance with a pleased smile. The evidence of the previous night's passion was still there from the sweat dried hair, to the colored cheeks, and the lack of clothes. When he looked at her all his walls crumbled, his resolve fadded, and his desires won him over. She was like a violent storm that swept him up as she went. When he was in her arms, he forgot everything and everyone.

She sat up not bothering to pull the sheet over her body and leaned forward to kiss his throat. "We have a café date, do we not?"

He grinned, pulling her to him with one arm. "The café will still be there in three hours.."

Her light chuckle filled the quiet room as he pushed her back down onto the mattress.

_Dream_

_Caitlyn stood in the middle of a great field, red flowers carpeting the expanse, and stared ahead with no expression. Slowly, she walked forward and the sky darkened, the flowers crumbled and the silhouettes of statues and headstones took their place._

_She stopped in front of one and stared at it in silence, the silence of disbelief. There on the face of the stone was her own name. Fearful, she stepped back just as another grave materialzed behind her and she pitched backward into it._

_Screaming mutely, she clawed and kicked as the lid of the coffin she had fallen into came crashing down…._

_But the nightmare was not done… for there beside her lay her sister's corpse.._

_And then, the decaying arms were coming around her for a hug. Her sister's voice echoing inside the coffin. "Don't fear me.."_

_Caitlyn relaxed and turned to her sister, still very much a corpse. "I don't.."_

_Marissa's soft voice was exactly as she remembered it. "I'm still with you…"_

_"I.." Caitlyn's response faded as she stared in confusion not at her sister's corpse but at the calm smile of Charet Connors…._

_End Dream_

Neil watched as Caitlyn thrashed around on the hospital bed, the straps on her wrists and ankles holding her down. Her eyes were closed suggesting unconcsiousness, but she was moving as though she were very much awake. He stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Caitlyn…"

"My god! What the hell is wrong with her?" Julie stood just inside the hospital room, a hand on the door knob and her eyes on her daughter. She clutched the door knob as memories of Marissa came like the breaking of a damn. Marissa pale and quiet after popping all those pills in Tijuana. Marissa's meltdown where she threw lounge chairs into the pool. Marissa finally forgiving her on what would be the last night she was ever alive..

Neil watched as Julie let go of the door knob and crumpled to the floor. Never in all the time he had known this woman had she ever given up…till now. When her only other child needed her to be strong, Julie was coming apart. Her massarcara(sp?) was running, her hands were shaking, and her sobs echoed off the newly painted white walls. He left Caitlyn's side and kneeled down to pull the broken woman into his arms. "Julie…shhh…"

"I..I can't do this Neil…" Julie chocked on her words as she spoke through her tears. "Not again..Marissa…" She looked up at the hospital bed holding her other daughter. "She's going to end up the same…"

"You don't know that, Julie." Neil responded calmly. "Caitlyn has a strong spirit, far stronger than Marissa had."

"Marissa…Marissa.." Julie's voiced faded out as she willed herself to forget about her deceased daughter and focus on her barely living one. She was not going to lose them both.

Seth nuzzled his face into the soft, sweet smelling pillow his head rested on, before opening his eyes. He blinked and then took in his new surroundings. Clearly, Pink and Green was out and Brown, Beige and Forest Green were in. Everything in the room was in those three colors.

He sat up, tossing the green comforter off. "Summer?" There was running water in the distance and it perked his interest. Was Summer in the shower? He headed out of the bedroom and down the hall to the closed door of the bedroom. "Summer?"

No sooner did he reach the door than it opened and a very wet, towel covered, pink-skinned brunette smiled back at him. There was just one tiny problem. It wasn't Summer. "I..uh…who're you?"

The woman laughed merrily and held out her hand. "I'm Gen. Nextdoor neighbor. My plumbing is being worked on this week so Summer is letting me do my showers here." She scanned the guy with amusment. "You're exceptionally uncomfortable..aren't you?"

Seth opened his mouth to respond. "I..uh…yeah.." He nodded.

Gen smiled. "Summer will be right back. She went to get breakfast for us about ten minutes ago. Told me not to wake you."

Seth ran a hand through his hair. "So..are you..good friends?"

"Not really. Summer's kinda cold. Like she's been hurt bad. I mean… she smiles and laughs but it's like an act. There is no real joy there. Except when she talks about her boyfriend, you. Then she's all lit up like it's Christmas." Gen stepped back into the bathroom and wrapped herself in a white terry cloth robe that was uncommonly short, then she shut the door and leaned against it as she continued talking. "So..can I ask why she is the way is?"

Seth really didn't want to go there right now. He was still reeling from Ryan's suicide himself. "I think.. That..uh.. You should ask her yourself."

Gen nodded, slightly disappointed. "Alright…"

"Cohen! Gen!" Summer's voice echoed from the front of the apartment as she headed into the kitchen, setting her paper bag on the counter.

Gen and Seth entered the kitchen simultaneously. "Morning, Summer."

Seth took a minute to admire his soon to be wife. She was glowing, her brunette hair was swept up into a large clip and she was wearing one of those tight fitting but not trashy white t-shirts and a pair of brown sweat pants.

"Cohen, get a shower. We are going to see Daddy." Summer stated as she unpacked the bag, setting the contents on the counter: a carton of eggs, a box of CoffeeMate, a box of white powdered doughnuts, an apple, three giant Styrofoam cups that could only be full of coffee, and a box of cereal.

"Can I have my coffee first?" Seth made a pleading face as he pulled Summer into his arms.

She laughed and nodded, before turning to Gen. "Do you need a ride this morning?"

Gen looked up from her position by the stove as she set a skillet on the burner. "Nope. Hale is coming. You want eggs? Either of you?"

Summer shook her head and reached for the apple. "I'm good."

Seth considered his options a minute and then decided on the cereal because he knew that she had bought it for him. Summer hated cereal. "I'm going with the old standby cereal and milk. But thanks."

Gen smiled back. "Least I can do for Summer's tolerance of me."

Summer shook her head. "You are not a tolerant, you're a friend."

Seth shared a look with Gen as he watched her eyes widen. Clearly she had never considered that Summer actually thought of her that way. And to be honest, he was equally surprised himself.

Steven shook Jennifer's shoulder as she dozed on the couch. "Jenny.."

"Mmnn.." Jennifer opened her eyes and smiled, grabbing his shirt and tugging him down to her for a sensual kiss. "Hi.."

"Hi.." He smiled, kissing her back, his hand finding it's way to her back. "It's 11am.."

"Your point?" She inquired, nibbling his ear.

Before he could respond, they were interrupted by a muffled buzzing noise.

"What's that?" She looked at him curiously.

Steven shrugged. "I have no idea."

The noise got louder and repeated over and over again as they stared at each other in confusion.

"Your cell maybe?" He finally guessed.

"But who would…" Jennifer's expression darkened. "Dave.."

"Then you should answer it." Steven affirmed, pulling her to her feet as he stood up. "Go. See what he wants. I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not." She ran into the kitchen and through there into the back solarium, snatching her purse off the glass table and rummaging in it for her cell, which was indeed going off. "Hello?"

Ty sighed, leaning back into the uncomfortable chair, as he talked. "Mrs. Connors..or whatever..I uh.. Thought you might want to know.. Uh.. Yesterday Charet collapsed at school and was rushed to the hospital. She has blood poisioning and.." He heard his voice crack as he held back tears. "it is very possible that she won't make it…I just.. I figured.. You might want to.. Come and you know.. Just in case.." Ty hung up the phone and looked up as Dave stood in front of him. "She's her mother…"

"I was about to do the same thing, Son." Dave patted the boy's shoulder. "You really should go to school."

"All I'd do all day is worry about Charet waking up…or…not…and me not being there.." Ty answered back, looking to the object of his worry as she laid, still unconscious, on the hospital bed.

"Me too, Son." Dave nodded sadly. "Me too…"

Jennifer threw her purse over her shoulder and sprinted back to Steven in the den. "I have to get to Newport. NOW!"

"Wha…" Steven looked her over. She was crying. "Jenny..what is it?"

"I need to leave. NOW. STEVEN." She bit her lip and tried to keep her balance even though her knees were buckling.

He shot out to catch her as her kneels went out from under her body. "Baby?" Slowly, he lifted her to her feet, then off them and into his arms. "Your body's breaking down, Honey..what's wrong?"

"Charet…" Jennifer clung to him as he entire body shook. "I have to….Charet needs me…"

"Ok..ok…" Steven nodded, carrying her to the front door. Luckily, he had his house and car keys in his pants pocket still. Usually, he would have dropped them on the kitchen counter by now but not today. And it was a small mercy. It almost sounded like Charet..his..possible..daughter..was on her deathbed.

As he carried her to the car, buckled her in, and started driving all she could think about was losing her little girl. Charet might be mad as all hell because of her affair, but she was her daughter! And Dave.. This was going to kill him. He loved her so much, cared for her so well. And then there was that new kid.. Ty something..he really seemed to love her daughter. Real love. Not that petty, jealous, aggressive, lustful sensation most teenagers mistook for love. Charet was just too young. She was way to young…

_Dream_

_"Hey…" Ryan smiled from his sitting position on the lifeguard station, his hands were resting over his knees._

_Charet stepped forward, confused. "Ryan…the voice in my head.. The boy from my dreams… you're actually here. As yourself…" She sat down beside the handsome, rough edged looking youth in the dark blue and gray sweatshirt and black jeans. His slightly spiked short hair was blond and he had such awe striking, intensely emotional blue eyes. _

_"This is a first for me too.." Ryan lifted his left arm onto her shoulders. "I kinda forgot what I looked like.."_

_Charet blinked, catching his eye. "Blond and blue eyed. Very handsome. But troubled too.. Like you've seen to much in your young life."_

_Ryan nodded. "I'm worried about you."_

_"Why?" She tilted her head, her hair falling into her eyes._

_Not thinking, Ryan tucked her hair back from her face like he used to do for Marissa. "You're near death, Charet."_

_She snapped her head up. "What?" Her blue-green eyes searached his wanting it to be a lie. She wasn't ready to die. She had so much to give first. _

_"You have a chance… but it's small." The familiar alto voice came from the bottom of the ramp._

_Charet looked up, staring back into another set of blue eyes. A small framed girl stood there, her brown blond hair blowing in the wind. She wore a white sleeveless shirt with a slightly scooping neckline, a white long sleeve sweater that was cut off at her waist in the front but had a tail going down the back, and a pair of darkened blue jeans. "Marissa…" _

_Marissa nodded, sitting down on the girl's other side. "Hey.." She looked up to Ryan, holding his gaze a minute before she spoke again to Charet. "You can see us as our real selves because…. You're slipping away…"_

_Charet shut her eyes and violently shook her head. "No! No! I want to stay!" Her protests became quiet as she dissolved into tears. "no…I..want..to..live..no..not fair…" Her body began to shake._

_Ryan shared a look with Marissa then enveloped the girl he had come to think of as his sister into his arms. All he could do was hold her, just like when Marissa died…_

_Marissa didn't know what to do or say…not anymore. Was this the reason her and Ryan had been dropped into Ty and Charet's minds? To aid them with the transition to death? That didn't make sense… she didn't get an aid when she died. And Ryan didn't either…_

_Charet pushed away from them. "NO! I'm not going to roll over and die! I'm a fighter!" _

_End Dream_

"Holy..sh.." Dave dropped the steaming cup of coffee into his lap when Charet's scream echoed off the walls. "Ahh..Honey?" He jumped up, looking his daughter over with hope. "Charet…"

Charet could hear her dad's voice, but it sounded so far away. Desperate, she answered him, holding out her hand to catch his. "Daddy…"

Dave held his daughter's outstretched hand tightly. She still hadn't opened her eyes. Was she ok? "I'm right here. Wake up, sweetie…"

Ty stirred from his sleep filled state, unsure why. Something had just told him to wake up. Ok..someone. He yawned, unfolding his legs from the two joined chairs he'd laid down in. "What's going on?" He stood up, addressing Mr. Connors as he made his way to the other side of Charet's bed.

"She was screaming… and then pleading for me…." Dave rubbed his daughter's hand. "Get a nurse."

Ty shook his head. "I'm not moving. We can use the call button." He reached for the bed/tv/call button remote and did as he had suggested. Then, he took her other hand in his own, kissing her knuckles softly.

It seemed like forever to Dave before a nurse walked into the room. He looked up. "She was screaming and then pleading for me…is she…" He couldn't bring himself to say it…even if it were true.

The gentle nurse moved closer; pushing Ty out of the way. She checked the girl's vitals and softly patted her cheek. "Miss Connors…" She looked up at the girl's father. "I'm not sure,Sir. This could be a reaction to the medication used to cleanse her blood, or she could be dreaming, or she could be…." She sighed. "I'll go for the doctor." With that, she exited the room.

Ty went back to holding Charet's hand. She seemed so…angry..in her ….what was it? Delerium? Was this what that was? She was definetly dealing with some sort of outthereness…ok so that wasn't a word..oh well. Ryan's baritone voice jerked him from his thoughts. YOU HAVE ONE CHANCE TO PULL HER BACK,TY. Pull her back? Back from what? JOINING ME AND MARISSA. You mean…dieing..? YES. How??? GET THROUGH TO HER THE WAY I TRIED TO GET THROUGH TO MARISSA. I know what you mean.

Ty looked up to "Sir, can I have a minute…"

Dave nodded. "I'll go see about the doctor myself. The nurse has been to long." He stepped outside, shutting the door soundly.

"Charet…Charet…" Ty pushed the railing down and laid down on the hospital bed beside his seemingly unconscious girlfriend. He held her hand with one hand and ran his knuckles along her cheek with his other. "Stay with me, Charet..ok..you're gonna be fine..everything's gonna be ok…" His voice softened considerably as his eyes began to tear up. "Hold on…ok…stay with me…"

Kevin slugged down his thirty-second beer, his lack of cordnation really showing as half of the liquid ended up on his shirt instead of in his mouth. "Damnit!" He tossed the empty bottle to the trailer's floor and watched it break. That was absolute music to his ears…every single time he heard it.

He was glad his Southern Redneckish bulldog of a roomate had left him the trailer. Especially now, with everything he had in the bedroom. If he got caught now he was going away for life..so the world be damned. He had his alcohol, his cocaine, and his woman…sort of…

He walked back into the bedroom, stripping off his shirt. All he wanted to do right now was sleep.

"Sandy? I'm home?" Kirsten pulled the key from the lock on the front door. "Sandy?" She stepped inside, setting her suitcase down. Strains of various voices were coming from the living room so she headed that way. Sandy smiled up at her briefly as she sat down beside him, listening to the news.

"Hi, Honey." Sandy kissed her cheek,taking her hand in his. "How was the trip?"

Just then, the news reporter on the tv channel caught their attention with four very shocking words…and one very familiar image popping up on the screen. The caption read "Local Teen's Grave Robbed" but even more disturbing was the picture. There was Marissa Cooper's graduation photo plastered on the screen for everyone to see.

Kirsten turned to her husband. "My God..poor Julie.."

Sandy nodded. "There's some sick people in this world…"

They sighed, looking back at the tv. The news anchor was still going on about the grave robbery. "Authorities are still searching for any leads that could track to the grave robbers and the deceased girl's missing corpse."

Summer knocked on her front door, one hand holding onto Seth, the other poised to hug her dad. There was no answer, so she pulled her key from her pants and slid it into the lock. "Guess we just let ourselves in…"

Seth nodded. "Yeah…"

They stepped inside and shut the door. Someone had left a tv on and they could hear snippets of the news story as they walked more into the house. "Hasn't this family been through enough? To lose your child and then have her resting place tampered with.. Her corpse stolen from her casket. What is wrong with people today?"

Together, they sat down in front of the tv and listened to the newscast. "Yes, Brianna. Such a tragedy for the Cooper family…"

Summer froze, shooting a glance at Seth. "Did she just say Cooper?!"

Seth was too stunned to speak, but he managed a nod. The news lady had most definetly said Cooper. And that meant the grave that had been robbed, the body that was stolen…belonged to Marissa.

But the newscast was still going on about the Coopers. "Yes, Mike. Apparently, the younger sibling has taken the death of her sister harder than was first anticipated. She was admitted to the ER only last night for extreme bloodloss due to multiple self-inflicted wounds with a razor and a nail file. And now this.. Surely the Cooper family has been through enough.."

As the news switched to more pleasing matters, Summer's entire body went numb, her vision blurred, and then for the first time in her life, not counting the times she did so from the large amounts of alcohol, she fainted simply to faint. Her body just shut down.

"Summer?" Seth moved to take her in his arms as he let the shock of the news story sink in.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dave Connors sat stiffly in the metal cafeteria chair, his eyes on the mundane cafeteria table he sat at. A Styrofoam cup filled with ice cold coffee sat idle by his left hand as it rested on the table top. As much as he wanted to be with his daughter, he wanted her to be with Ty more. The boy really loved her, he could see that plainly, and he deserved to have some time alone with her…..even if it was her last few minutes on Earth. After everything he'd done, the boy deserved that much and more.

Looking to his watch, he noticed it had been five minutes since he'd come here to wait. Waiting. It seemed like he ever did was wait. Memories flooded his mind as he allowed them to carry his thoughts away, take them somewhere else, somewhere…solitary…. And …dangerous….

_You'd think I was used to this by now. Used to waiting. Used to watching. Used to praying. But you'd be wrong. No matter how many times my little girl ends up in the hospital, I never get used to it. What parent would? Seeing their son or daughter laying on a bed in a white room with tubes connected to them for various things. Things we take for granted daily. A tube for oxygen. A tube for nourishment. It goes on and on. And it never gets easier. Never. _

_I remember the day Charet was born better than I can recall anything else in my life. It was a cold night with the winds well below fifty degrees thanks to a fluke cold front. Jennifer was in agony with the contractions. We got to the hospital in record time.. I sped..ok..I floored it. The last thing I wanted was my son or daughter being born in the car. Not because it would be messy, but because I didn't think I could deliver a baby. I never really did trust myself when it came to such pivotal things…_

_Turns out I was wrong. I ended up delivering Charet on the side of the highway with the help of a motherly Mexican lady who had stopped to help soothe Jennifer. The woman called herself Charity, we called her a godsend. And when my daughter cried for the first time, my wife and I decided to honor the woman who helped bring her into the world. We named our little girl Charet, after that woman._

_When Charet turned seven, she had her first real medical scare. She was staying with her grandmother in Boston when she contracted bad food poisoning. She was in the hospital for a week. That was the first time I realized how fragile my little girl really was._

_When she was fifteen, she was in a car wreck with her friend Carmen and the girl's father, Jack. She was in the hospital a little over two days with a heart monitor. _

_Now, Charet's seventeen and has been hospitalized three times in the last six months. First because she lost her sanity when James was killed and attacked herself… She put herself in the hospital.. On purpose. There isn't a day that I don't regret giving her a switchblade for protection… I never expected her to use it on herself.._

_Once again, I was wrong._

_I moved us here thinking she'd be able to let her past go and try again. Eventually she did just that. Even finding another boy to be romantic with. Ty reminds me of James sometimes. I wonder if Charet even realizes it. I decided not to mention it. _

_Since we've been here, Charet's been in the hospital twice… she was attacked…she was kidnapped…now she's got blood poisoning.. Is someone out to get my little girl? I'm starting to think so. And I'm prepared to do anything in my power to prevent it._

_Anything._

_Nobody hurts my daughter and gets away with it. Especially not if I make a few phone calls and bring some friends for a visit. Some very old, very loyal friends. Blood Brothers, you might say. Friends with a bond so strong we'd kill for each other. _

…_..Again.._

Ty held Charet in his arms on the hospital bed, his eyes closed to the stark white walls and the overly bright florescent lighting. He couldn't bring himself to speak aloud, instead, he mentally poured his heart out to whom or whatever was governing his girlfriend's barely there breath, and faint heart beat.

_Is this how it's supposed to end? Am I meant to hold Charet in my arms just as Ryan held Marissa on the side road that night? Am I meant to lose her like he lost his girl? Is this just Fate's joke? Fall in love and get the floor yanked out from under you only to come to rest at the expense of another? _

_I've been sitting here holding her for twenty seven tense minutes, just begging Fate to let me keep Charet on Earth. So far, Fate's ignoring me completely. I can see why the concept is mostly referred to as a female. Fate is just as fickle, unencumbered, and unjust as some women are towards men. _

_But then, maybe mocking her isn't that great an idea. I apologize Fate, oh mistress of everyone's life events. Are you by any chance married to the Grim Reaper? It would explain a lot. _

_Looking down to Charet now, it's hard to think of her no longer with me. She's right here, but somehow she's not. Was that how Ryan felt? Like Marissa was already gone even though she was still breathing, her hand was still slightly warm? I'm the same age aren't I?_

_Didn't he once say he was eighteen when she died? Well happy birthday, Ty. Your present this year is the death of your soul mate. _

_I guess in a way it's fitting. I mean, according to Marissa I'm so much like Ryan anyway, why not follow the same path? Because I'm starting to doubt and to be honest, I'd rather die than lose Charet for life. _

_Gd..she looks so different now. Laying here in my arms, fighting for her life, she seems so much less in weight than I remember. I feel like if she were weighed against a feather on a scale, she'd be the lighter one. Even her appendages seem to have lost muscle. Her wrist is two times thinner in my hand this time around. And her face…her beautiful eyes seem like they are sinking into her face. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was anorexic. It's scary, but she really is that thin._

_I remember the very first time I saw her there in the school hallway a second or so before she fainted. I'll admit I was thinking a little bit more than… who is she? Why is she staring at me like that?.. To be honest there were several thoughts of …Hot.. Beautiful..Sexy without trying.. And the like. After all, I am a teenage boy._

_But it was those eyes that really got to me. First they seemed blue, but then they seemed green. It was like she was a mixture of two girls.. And maybe she was… Maybe it really had nothing to do with location at all.._

_Maybe the reason Charet and I can hear deceased teens in our minds is because we are so much like them in reality. I mean, Ryan did describe Marissa as classic with a side of wild far unexpected for someone of her breeding. Now that I think about it, he could be describing Charet too. And then there's Marissa's description of Ryan as the barely-there bad boy with a caring spirit and a gentle nature. That could be me too. _

_Could it be that we are so close to these ..uh..ghosts.. Because of who we really are? _

_Her pulse is starting to weaken now. Like a soft tap against something that doesn't really register movements. Maybe I should call for her father, the nurse.. Someone.. _

_She's barely breathing now.. I can see how hard it is for her.. How very little her chest is rising to take in oxygen.. I wish she'd open her eyes… If I have to lose her, I want my face to be the last thing she sees.._

_Inherited Memory_

"_Marissa… wake up…Marissa..come on..wake up.. You have to wake up…"_

"_Marissa? No..no…Marissa..no..No..no.."_

_End of Inherited Memory_

_That's it…I'm not letting this happen! Do you hear me, Fate? Grim Reaper? I'm not letting you take her! _

_I can tell she's fighting too. That's my girl. Never just gonna roll over…..she's a warrior….a tough…a soldier. I wish she could hear me….there's a lot I want to say…_

_I'd tell her how beautiful she is. How knowing her has made me so much happier. How she's my best friend. My reason for getting up in the morning… and on a slightly more personal note… my reason for going to bed at night. She's the first girl I've said I love you to and I really wanted her to be the last.. And if she dies, she will be the last..but for a completely different reason._

_Wait…is she? Oh my G… She's squeezing my hand!_

Ty felt like jumping for joy as he looked down to the very positive sign of Charet being alive. "Baby..?" He smoothed her hair away from her face and stared long and lovingly into those blue-green eyes. Eyes that held his future, his past, and thank god.. His present.. "I was so scared you were really gone…" Tenderly, he brushed her cold lips with his own warm ones.

Charet blinked once from the sheer shock of the annoyingly bright lighting and then managed a soft smile. "…Ty…" Her tone was filled with relief, thanks, and sorrow. "….I…"

"Shhh.." Ty smoothed her hair away from her pale cheeks. "You're too weak to waste energy with words.."

She gave a slow nod in agreement and went silent, just staring into his blue eyes. There were small trails of dried liquid down his cheeks and his irises had a glassy look. He'd been crying. She squeezed his hand once more, thinking to herself how unbelievably lucky she was not just for a second chance, but for having someone to come back too in the first place. After all, what was the point of fighting if there had been no one here to share her life with?

"If she was gone… he would have called, Jenny." Steven stated flatly as he continued driving down the highway. His hands were beginning to cramp up from the way he had been gripping the steering wheel and his temper was starting to flare as he watched her repeatedly check her cell phone for missed calls.

For her part, Jennifer was silent as she watched tree after tree and road sign after road sign pass by in a blur outside the car's passenger window. She made no response as her thoughts organized themselves into a neat little file and she forgot the rest of the world, falling into a self-centric trance.

_I keep thinking the same thing over and over sitting here in the passenger seat of Steven's car. I'm a bad mother. I'm a bad mother. I'm a bad mother. It's become a raging mantra pounding in my ears. And it's true. I am a bad mother. And the sad thing is, I've lied about it since Charet was born._

_I've always been a bad mother. Since I found out I was pregnant. I did everything I could think of to induce a miscarriage in the first month and a half. I continued to drink alcohol. I didn't care about the baby. I cared about me. _

_I'm such a bad mother I don't even know which man is the father of my daughter. I know who she deserves to be loved by. I've always know that. Dave is an amazing father. That's why I married him. I knew he'd be a better daddy to my children.. Assuming I had any. _

_I'm a bad mother. There's no point denying it anymore. When my daughter was kidnapped, I think I realized it on some small level. Now that she could be dying, I'm done with denial. I am a bad mother. I accept it. I agree with it. And for once, I'm sorry about it._

_Right now, my daughter needs someone who can comfort her, take care of her insecurities, ease her fears. She needs a woman who is a good mother. So that's what I have to become. Right now. Right here. She deserves that much… if not more. _

_I don't think there was a single time in my life after she was born that I kissed an injury or spent a night doing girl talk. She learned from her friends everything I should have taught her. Sure I explained all the technical issues of being a girl to her, but I was never really there for the small stuff. She never came to me about makeup, clothes, or boys. And I never asked her about it._

_When she started taking an interest in James, I should have talked to her about it. About sex and all that. I didn't. I figured she could just ask her dad, or her boyfriend. What woman in her right mind thinks like that? Me apparently. _

_I'm a bad mother. Plain and simple. _

_I'm not saying I don't love my daughter. I do. But it's not that overprotective-smothering-pride-of-my-life kind of love. It's more that keep-you-at-arms-length kind of love. My daughter has always been an afterthought in my life. And that has to stop. Now._

_Charet is seventeen. I've done more damage to her in this past year than anyone aught to deal with. It's time I make amends. But the mantra keeps going._

_I'm a bad mother. I'm a bad mother. I'm a bad mother. _

_And you know what…I still am. _

_Because it took my daughter being on her possible deathbed to set me straight…_

_And because I know that if she does die…. It really won't affect me like it should.._

_So the plan is go see her, fix this mess I've created, and then say goodbye._

_Not because she may die, but because I'm never coming back._

_She doesn't deserve this.._

_And stronger still- I don't deserve her. I never have. And I accept that._

_So I'm letting go. Once I walk out of her hospital room, my tenure as a bad mother is over. When I leave the hospital this time, instead of taking home my daughter, I'll be leaving her there. Something I should have done to begin with. And would have if not for Dave._

_I told you…_

_I'm a bad mother. _

_What I didn't tell you was that I was the worst kind of bad mother…_

_The kind that wants to forget her daughter's very existence because that's easier than looking into her eye's and seeing disappointment and distrust._

"Summer?" Seth sat on the couch in the Robert's house lightly patting his fiance's cheek. "Hey.. Summer.." It was no use, she was out cold from the shock of the newscast. Marissa's corpse was missing… What was wrong with people now a days! He shook his head, looking around for a pillow that could occupy the spot his legs were currently taking up under her head.

Spotting one, he shifted slightly, reaching across Summer's unconscious form to the other side of the couch for a particularly ugly looking throw pillow. He lifted her head and placed the pillow under it, slowly moving out from his position as her head rest. Finally free to move, he started to pace the room in a very uncharacteristic manner. His thoughts began to echo in his mind like an amplified guitar solo.

_I always knew there were seriously sick people in this world. But for someone to steal a corpse, and a corpse that's been buried a while.. That has to be as sick as it gets. Right? It's certainly not a banner for sanity._

_I wouldn't be thinking so much about it if the corpse in question wasn't Marissa Cooper's. There's just something bothering me about this whole thing. Why her grave? Why take her corpse? I keep coming back to one conclusion. The criminal knew her._

_And as far as that goes, my instincts, though often overly annoying but pretty often right, are yelling at me. One name keeps coming to the surface of my thoughts. A name I thought was effectively out of my life. A name responsible for the gruesome deaths of my best friend and brother, and his soul mate. A name that I haven't heard about in years. And a name I always wanted to forget._

_Kevin Volchock._

_One single guy ruined two lives. And I keep thinking he's back._

_This is where I want to be wrong. Dead wrong. Bad choice of wording there, sorry. _

_Ryan committed suicide because of this guy, and Summer's been through enough the last few years. She has finally started to be herself again and now this. _

_Who else could it be? Seriously? Who else is so disturbed that he ran a car off the road killing his ex-girlfriend, and then ran away from the scene, going into hiding? Er… Ok..there is one other possibility… But I thought he was in a hospital somewhere…_

_Either way, both guys could be who the cops are looking for. The question is, which one? And where is he? And for what disturbing purpose did he steal Marissa's corpse? _

_I think I know, and I wish I didn't. I want to be wrong. Very wrong. Because if I'm right about the why, then I think Summer will lose it entirely if the cops don't find the missing body soon. And with Summer still suffering from rage blackouts, I say give her five minutes in the interrogation room with the sicko. _

_If Ryan was alive, he'd be going after whoever, beating the crap out of the guy. So maybe I should be doing that in his place? Honor thy brother and all that. It's a good thing I took some fighting classes last year. Maybe I can follow in Ryan's tradition and actually win._

_Now I just decide who to look for first…_

_Kevin or Oliver?_

_Hey,maybe Kevin is the culprit and Oliver can help me beat him up. I like that plan.. Well except for actually having to see Oliver again. But desperate times call for desperate measures._

_Guess I'm going to see Oliver. I'm sure Dad can find him. This aught to be one heck of a reunion. Either he did it and I'm in danger, or he didn't and I get to deal with his massive mood swings and obsessive love for Marissa all over again._

_Sounds Fun._

"Julie? Julie? …" Neil Roberts shook the apparently comatose woman with all his strength. "Julie! Listen to me!"

Julie Cooper sat on the tile floor of her only remaining daughter's hospital room. She was vaguely aware of Caitlyn laying on the bed, straps on her wrists and ankles. She seemed calm now… eerily calm. Just seconds ago, she'd been thrashing around on the hospital bed, screaming, and tugging at the straps without even being awake. Had she been dreaming? Was that a reaction to whatever meds she was being pumped with to keep her alive? Suddenly, she became aware of another voice in the room… a deep male voice.. And looked up to see a forty-something man in a white coat standing over her.

"You're Mrs. Cooper, I assume." The doctor stated as he watched the stunned woman struggle to her feet once more.

Recovered enough to speak, Julie turned to the doctor. "Yes. I'm Caitlyn's mother."

The doctor nodded, his gaze passing to the other man. "Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Cooper, your daughter has a good chance of recovery. The blood transfusion is going off without difficulty and she seems to be regaining her color."

"Is it normal for her to have..a…..a…fit…while unconscious?" Julie demanded, her eyes on her daughter.

"What sort of fit?" The doctor suddenly seemed more interested in his duty, his green eyes brightening slightly, his pen poised over the clipboard he was carrying. "Was she conscious?"

Neil stepped into the conversation quickly. "No. Caitlyn was defiantly not conscious. She just started screaming and thrashing around, pulling at the straps… then she stopped…"

The doctor wrote quickly, then looked up to the couple once more. "Nothing about the medications we are administering would cause such a reaction. She could have simply been having a nightmare." Noting the look of pure annoyance radiating from the woman's eyes, he added.. "Call a nurse immediately if it happens again. It would be better to see the reaction in person than to try and identify it by word of mouth."

Neil nodded, pulling Julie back as she started to get in the doctor's face. "Thank you."

"I'll be back to check on her later. Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Cooper…" With a little bow, the doctor exited, shutting the door with a soft click.

Julie turned angry eyes onto Neil as he let her go. "The doctors on staff here are ignorant of good manners.."

Hearing this statement coming from this particular woman, it was all Neil could do not to laugh. He shook his head. "I'm going to get us some coffee, maybe some dinner from the cafeteria and I'm going to stop in and see Charet Connors."

Julie stared blankly at him. "Who?"

Neil held back the urge to shake the woman as he answered. "Charet Connors. Caitlyn's new friend from Harbor. They have hung out a few times. Charet collapsed at school yesterday. I meant to see to her earlier but you arrived."

Not sure what to say, Julie just nodded, moving across the room to the little chair by the bed. She sat down, pulling the magazine she had been reading on the plane from her purse and finding where she had left off. "..Ok.." She replied off-handedly as she listened to the door open and close again leaving her alone with her thoughts and her tears.

_The last time I cried like this, so unrestrained, was when I got the phone call from Ryan about Marissa's death. I can remember picking up my cell phone and reading Marissa's number on the display. But it wasn't her voice on the other end. It had been Ryan's, though it had taken me a few minutes to figure it out. His voice had been so…different. It was hollow and covered over with escaping tears. "Julie..I…We got run off the road…Marissa's ….She didn't make it.."_

_Just like that, she was gone. We would never fight, or laugh, or see each other again. The deal was supposed to be a year off from college to work with Jimmy in Greece. I could have handled that. _

_Now I'm crying again. Caitlyn tried to kill herself. She's following in her sister's footsteps and it's scaring me. I've only got one other child. I don't want to lose her. _

_Maybe I screwed up last time with Marissa. Maybe I should have just made her go to San Diego. Maybe she would have been more stable… But then I think about how she died. It wasn't at her own hand. So even if she made bad choices, she did not kill herself. I suppose that means Caitlyn is being original after all. Not that it's much of a comfort._

_I need to stop thinking about this.. Maybe some tv.._

Sick of her thoughts, Julie reached for the remote to the little television haning in the middle of the room's left wall. Clicking channels, she slowly forgot about the magazine, the successful launch in Paris, and the freak fit her daughter had just had while asleep. She continued flipping channels until she came across the local weather report.

_The news.. That's general enough.. _

Just then, the weather report disappeared as the co-anchors appeared again, riffling papers on their fake desks. The lady newscaster spoke first, her face expressionless. "We just received word from our correspondent out in the field about the breaking news we spoke of earlier. The local teen who's grave was disturbed, the corpse removed, the casket left. Let's go live to Amy Hendricks. Amy?"

_Ugh.. On second thought.. I don't want to hear about a grave robbery… _Julie thought, starting to change the channel when the field reporter appeared on the screen in a familiar cemetery. In fact, the woman was standing by a very familiar plot of grass….Ryan Atwood's resting place. Her attention didn't waver as she listened to the woman recite her piece, all the while, the camera was panning to the left, behind the woman. There was a pile of dirt making a ring around the disturbed grave… Leaning up, Julie came to a realization just as the camera stopped and focused on the headstone above the open grave..

_"_OH MY GOD… THAT'S MY DAUGHTER'S PLOT!!" Julie's shriek rang throughout the room on auto-echo as she suddenly found it hard to breathe, her heart pounded so fast…God! Was this a heart attack???


	18. Chapter 18

A/N- Was I missed? Kidding. Hey, all. I'm back finally. So sorry it took so long. Hope you guys still want to read my story. And more so, I hope my story is still as good. I haven't written in a long long time. There's a chance the chapter might not be on par with the others. That can happen if I'm away from it for a while. But I hope it didn't work that way here. I hope this chapter is just as interesting, and attention-holding as all the others. Read, Enjoy, and Review. - Jas

Chapter 18

"What the hell was that?" Ty sat up a little, his arm still draped around Charet's frail body. He cast his eyes to the open door as several scrub-wearing men and women flew past. Someone had screamed; he'd heard that for sure.

Still very weak, Charet said nothing as she followed his gaze. She watched the staff run like track stars toward the end of the hall, straight past the door to her own hospital room. She had no idea what was going on, but she was being directed to find out. Turning back to Ty, she cleared her dry throat and whispered. "….I want to know… Go see…"

"Ok." Ty slowly rose from his side of the bed, careful not to hurt her. "Be right back." Smiling, he kissed her forehead softly before departing. As he walked down the hall, Ryan's gentle baritone voice popped into his head. JULIE COOPER. Who's that? MARISSA'S MOTHER. I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU. Ty shrugged. You might have but I'm a little too preoccupied with my own thoughts to recall yours. FAIR ENOUGH. JULIE IS HAVING SOME KIND OF FIT. I DON'T KNOW WHY.

Ty approached the end of hall and stopped. There were at least seven individuals congregated by the open door to one of the rooms. He leaned against the patient railing on the wall and listened for information hoping he looked inconspicuous enough to be ignored.

Just fifteen feet away, four trained medical officials were busy trying to calm down the now irate and severely unstable mother of the comatose patient in the room. None of them had any idea what had happened or understood her ravings about a robbery. They just tried to help her calm down before she gave herself a heart attack right there on the floor.

Still clutching the all purpose remote in her white hands, Julie Cooper-Nichol-Roberts lay against the chair she had been seated in moments before. Her eyes were open but she wasn't seeing anything except her deceased daughter's goofy grin as she stood in her purple Graduation gown and held her diploma. Marissa… Her mind was gone, she could tell.

She looked around, but there was no one. She was alone. The air started to chill as she felt her body quake with unwanted jerks.

"She's convulsing!" One of the nurses screamed to one of the men standing by the open door. "Get me Dr. Warren! Now!"

Neil Roberts came out of the public-access men's room at the other end of the hall and headed toward the elevator. He needed a coffee before he saw Julie again. He pressed the down button and waited, his mind drifting. Recognition made him blink. He'd meant to go see Charet! Instantly, he turned on his heel and headed back the way he had come.

As he approached the nurses' desk, he could hear them bickering with each other. Something about the inability to explain what had occurred to the woman. Whom 'the woman' was didn't really matter to him, but he hoped she was alright just the same. "Excuse me…"

The on-call RN standing behind the nurses' station looked up. "Mr. Roberts…" She bit her lip in insecurity. "We are doing everything we can, Sir. But we don't know what set her off yet."

Neil studied the red-head curiously. "I honestly have no idea what you are talking about. Is Caitlyn alright?"

"Caitlyn, Sir? I was talking about Mrs. Cooper, her mother." The nurse tapped her fingers against the paper on her clipboard. "Your wife… she…"

Neil didn't hear the rest as he ran down the hall, dodging patients and nurses alike. What the hell had happened to Julie! He sucked in his breath, halting when he saw a young boy standing in the middle of the way. He tugged the kid's shoulder to get his attention. "What's going on in there?"

Ty blinked as someone grabbed him from behind, knocking him off balance. He staggered a second and then looked back. There was a worry-stricken older man staring back at him. "I don't really know. I've been listening. Something about a possible heart attack and just a minute ago the nurse was screaming for another doctor."

Neil released the boy. "…a….heart attack…." He turned his attention to the crowd of people standing half inside the door to his daughter's hospital room. "Oh my God…. Julie…"

As Ty watched the older man, Ryan's voice invaded his thoughts again. MR. ROBERTS. SUMMER'S DAD. HE MARRIED JULIE? Not really paying attention, Ty responded to him in surprise. You committed suicide, came back from the dead, inhabit my mind, can take over my body, and Marissa's mother getting married is what shocks you? Ryan was quiet a minute before he answered. IF YOU HAD KNOWN HER, YOU'D UNDERSTAND.

Charet lay idle in her hospital bed, her mind on full alert as she listened to Marissa's soft alto voice hit pitches she didn't even know existed. MY GRAVE! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE! THAT'S JUST SICK! MY GOD! WHAT? WAS NORMAL ROBBERY JUST NOT ENOUGH OF A CHALLENGE ANYMORE! WHAT THE HELL! THAT'S MY BODY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! MYSELF, OR WHATS SOLID ANYWAYS! Finally, the anger depleted enough for Charet to snag her co-inhabitor's attention. Marissa; please relax! You're giving me the headache from Hell, here. I hardly have energy as it is. Her volume supremely muted, Marissa apologized. SORRY. IT'S JUST SO SICK.

Charet's eyes flicked back up to the television. The news program was still in progress, but the story that had sent Marissa off the deep end was over. Personally, she was sufficiently freaked out. What kind of person actually went around stealing corpses? Nasty. Vile. And just so wrong.

She shut off the TV and laid back into the pillow to converse internally with Marissa and try to make the girl chill down a little.

Steven slammed his palm onto the horn in extreme agitation as the asshole in front of him sat unmoving when the light was clearly green. "Move you idiot!" He hit the horn again and again thinking it would irritate the person enough to make him or her drive.

Jenny sat quietly in the passenger seat, her cell phone in her hands. She'd been staring at the display for the last thirty-seven minutes. There had been no calls. Not one. She couldn't help but wonder if Dave would truly call her after all. Sure, Charet was her daughter, but Dave was her soon-to-be ex-husband and his hatred for her was no secret, not now.

"Jenny!" Steven barked to get her attention.

She looked up in surprise. "What?" That's when she saw the terror in his gaze.

The driver behind them slammed into the small car, forcing it up against the back of the truck. The windshield shattered on impact, the glass spraying them like rain. Steven tried pressing the brake, the gas, nothing was working.

Steven turned to Jenny. "You ok?"

She nodded. "Yeah…" She caught sight of the driver who'd hit them from behind and felt her insides twist. "…….Steven…. get your gun…"

Shocked and confused, Steven glanced to the love of his life. "What? Ok. Look, Baby, I know he just plowed into us but I'm not gonna kill the guy."

Jenny ignored him, leaning over to reach under his seat. Her face was in his lap as she spoke, her words muffled by his pants. "No… He's gonna kill us…"

"Seth?" Her head pounding, Summer sat up from where she'd apparently passed out on the couch. She remembered coming into her dad's house and there being no one home. As she looked around for her fiancée, her brown eyes fell onto the television and everything came back. Someone had taken Marissa's corpse. Caitlyn had tried to commit suicide. And she'd blacked out from the shock.

Seth entered the room, his cell phone to his ear. "We just saw it too. Yeah… I thought about that myself. No. Ok. Yeah. Bye." He ended the call and slid the phone back into his pocket. "You're awake." He smiled and walked over to her, his hand out. "I went scrounging for Julie's painkillers."

Summer smiled, taking the two Tylenol from Seth's open palm. "Thanks, Cohen." She swallowed the pills and stood up slowly. "Who was that?" She indicated the pocket where he had placed his cell phone.

"My dad. He wanted to know if I'd seen the news report about Marissa." Seth wrapped an arm around her waist. "He doesn't think it was random. And neither do I."

Summer nodded. "Yeah… I don't guess it would have been. That was the only grave spot messed with, right? Makes sense that it was on purpose."

Seth sighed. "I keep thinking thank god Ryan isn't here."

Summer laughed, her brown eyes going a little brighter. "I know exactly what you mean. He'd be fuming. All wrapped up in protect-mode, his hands clenched and his eyes cold as stone. He'd waste no time that's for sure…"

Seth smiled back thinking about his deceased brother's intense protective streak. "I owe it to him, I guess."

Summer cocked her head, staring at him. "You go Atwood on some sick pervert? Now that I'd like to see."

Alegra curled her bare legs under her body, her attention on the TV. The female announcer was blathering on and on about some kind of tragedy. Something about a corpse being stolen from its resting place. It sounded pretty cool to her. Gutsy even. She'd love to meet the perp some time.

Glistening from the water droplets that clung to his naked form, Kirk stepped out of the bathroom. "Something worth your time on the news?" He stood there in all his naked glory and let her take him in.

She looked his way, her lips curling into a grin. "Grave robbery." She let her gaze travel his entire length, foot to head, before saying anything more. He looked good. He smelled good. And she had no doubt that he felt good too. "Took a hot shower huh?"

He laughed, moving over to the bed. "You're most observant." He trailed his blue eyes over her form. Her long legs were bare and curled under her amazing body. She had slipped into one of his own t-shirts while he was in the shower and he couldn't help but think about how sexy she was lying there naked except for an article of his own clothing. Her purple hair was mussed from their recent bed-ridden activity and there was still a sheen of sweat on her soft features. "I want you…" He advanced, kissing her roughly as he fell onto the bed.

Alegra laughed, kissing him back feverishly, her hands roaming over his damp frame. "You're pushing back our café date again." She gently tugged on his ear lobe with her teeth, licking his neck afterward. "My stomach's growling like a lion, I'm so hungry."

He nodded, his lips on her throat. "Give me one good reason to let you off this bed."

Alegra smiled, her hands running the length of his bare thighs as she felt him lift the t-shirt up. "Mmm… Feed me now, and when we get back I'll give you a lot more than one."

Kirk let his hand rest on her skin, his fingers ready to tease. He smiled back to her, kissing her gently before speaking. "You stay here and I'll bring whatever you want back. I just can't fathom you moving from this bed."

"Deal." She purposely lifted her pelvis off the bed, pressing her body against his. "And if you're back in thirty minutes I'll throw in a bit extra. Some tricks you haven't yet seen."

That was all he needed to hear. Kirk was off the bed and yanking on his boxers and jeans, his mind a whirl as he wondered what sort of new tricks she was going to share. He glanced her way, a grin playing on his lips. "I need my shirt."

"Of course." She slowly pulled it over her body, giving him plenty of time to fantasize about her before tossing the shirt into his waiting arms. "Do I need to tell you my order, or do you think you can remember it by now?"

He normally would have backhanded a girl for speaking to him like that, but with Alegra everything he hated he suddenly loved. It was bizarre. He pulled on the t-shirt and nabbed his wallet from the night stand. "If I get it wrong, you can punish me."

She laughed. "Then I hope you seriously screw it up." She watched him leave and listened to his retreating footsteps before reaching over and taking her cell phone out of her purse. She punched in her father's number and waited till he answered. "Afternoon, Daddy. What's the word on our pet project?"

Dave Connors had finally gotten the nerve to go back to his daughter's hospital room, and was on the way there when Ty had met him in the hallway. According to the boy, Charet's friend from school, Caitlyn, was at the hospital too and her mother had nearly suffered a heart attack right there in the girl's room. Charet was worried for her friend and had demanded to go see the girl, so Ty had taken her and was currently waiting to take her back again.

"So Charet's ok?" Dave let the relief wash over him. "Thank God."

Ty nodded. "It's hard to tell she was so close to death. She's back full-force."

Dave grinned. "That's my girl. Did you call Jenny?"

"Shit… no…" Ty felt horrible. He'd completely forgotten Charet's mother. "I just … damn…"

"It's fine, Son. I doubt she'd care anyhow." He clapped the boy on the shoulder before passing back into his daughter's temporary residence.

Ty watched the older man sink down into the ugly orange chair without a word. Mr. Connors was falling apart. Fast.

Down the hall, inside Caitlyn Cooper's hospital room, Charet stood by her friend's bedside. Marissa had asked her to come here and she'd obliged readily. But now it was like the other girl wasn't even there. She'd been silent since entering the room. Then from nowhere a familiar baritone voice broke the silence. HEY. MARISSA. Two little words, perhaps, but the love with which they were expressed enveloped her like a cocoon and made her think of Ty.

She smiled to herself. Would you like to put your arms around her, Ryan? The answer came instantly, but it wasn't his. Marissa's soft alto timbre seemed diminished even more as she spoke. I'D LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.

Charet stuck her head outside the door and motioned for Ty. Once he entered, she shut the door behind her. "We have a special request."

Ty nodded. "He mentioned it."

They stared at each other, waiting for their other halves, as it were, to take control.

Seconds later, Ryan pulled Marissa into his arms, holding her tightly as he kissed her hair. "It's ok. Your mother's gonna be fine. Your sister's doing better."

Marissa looked up into those loving blue eyes. "You don't know yet, do you?"

Ryan stared at her. "Know what?"

"My corpse was stolen. I saw it on the news about twenty minutes ago." Marissa watched as his expression darkened, his hands curling in against her waist.

His voice was cold when he spoke, his eyes even colder as he looked back at her. "…What?.."

Marissa sighed. "Even dead, they can't leave us alone." She rested her head against his chest.

Working to conceal his fury, Ryan lifted her chin with his hand, kissing her softly on the lips. "Shhh… Marissa…." He kissed her again. "Everything will be ok."

Marissa smiled, feeling better. "Somehow, with you, it always is." She looked up. "I love you, Ryan."

Ryan kissed her passionately before responding in kind. "I love you, Marissa."

"What the hell? I don't find this very funny." The angry voice was weak, but the venom was there just the same.

Ryan and Marissa stared in utter shock at a very aware, and very pissed off, Caitlyn sitting up in her hospital bed, her eyes glued to them.

All at once, both couples shared the same thought- oh shit!-


End file.
